Facebook is the second largest network in the world and security has been a big issue. Since users of Facebook range from children to adults, figuring out how to provide better security for its users has been an important and main goal for Facebook from the beginning. So just exactly what is Facebook doing to raise their safety bar? Let’s take a closer look at some of the new safety measures they have decided to change and implement to provide more security for all of its users.
Following the announcement from MySpace, Facebook has reached an agreement with the attorney general to enhance their controls in order to protect minors from inappropriate content on their website. Facebook’s network safety will include things like implementing new technology to protect young users from sexual predators, cooperating with local law enforcement, adding safety tools for all Facebook members, and providing education and safety resources for all its members. These new safety rules will also apply to all of the application developers as well as to Facebook. The following are the agreements that Facebook has made and have agreed to comply with:
•Maintaining and updating a list of pornographic sites and cutting any links that they may have to Facebook.
•Increasing efforts to remove cyberbullying, pedophilia, and incest groups and individuals off of the Facebook site.
•Removing any inappropriate images and content found within the site.
•Displaying the safety tips when using the Facebook website and requiring under age children to affirm and agree that they have read the Facebook safety tips before they sign up to use the website.
•Thoroughly check into users that have requested to change their age. The requests will be logged and only a single request will be allowed to change an age to above or below eighteen years of age.
•Companies offering services such as “widgets” to implement and enforce the Facebook safety and privacy guidelines.
•Limiting specific ads for age restricted products like alcohol or tobacco to users who are old enough to purchase them.
•Removing profiles and not allowing any registered sex offenders to use the Facebook network.
•Allowing parents the opportunity by giving them tools to remove their underage child’s profile from the web site completely.
•Restricting users over the age of eighteen and not allowing them to seek users under the age of eighteen. There have also been also limitations on specific searches made.
The agreement between Facebook and the Attorney General is truly a milestone for social networking safety. So many children are put at risk on a daily basis because of access to the Internet and social networking companies. Raising the safety bar on Facebook has been a huge step in the success for the company and its users; both adult and children. While these new precautions and safety procedures will help keep children safer it is also a good idea as a parent to take some of your own precautions. Teach your children about privacy settings that are available through the network and encourage them to never share any personal information online such as an address, phone number, and even photos.
Facebook along with other social networking providers is doing their part to raise the safety bar for all of its users; children being the top priority.