Facebook launches widespread UK safety campaign

Facebook has confirmed it will redesign its reporting system to let users report unwanted or suspicious behaviour directly to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).

However, the social networking behemoth ruled out adding a "panic button" to each page, something which the child protection agency's chief executive Jim Gamble was lobbying hard for.

Despite this, Facebook said the changes to its reporting procedures would still enable its 23 million users in the UK to quickly and simply report unwanted activity to both CEOP and Facebook itself.

The site has also confirmed it will provide leading safety organisations with one billon free advertising impressions, worth £5m, on Facebook to help them to raise awareness of the new services and the dangers of the internet to children.

The organisations and campaigns that will be offered advertising include the Government's 'zip it, block it, flag it' campaign, the Children's Charities Coalition on Internet Safety, the NSPCC, CEOP and Beatbullying.

Finally, the firm announced it has created a 24-hour hotline for police and government agencies that will help these organisations reach the company directly for help in cases of emergency, as well as assistance in investigations and prosecutions.

Mark Williams-Thomas, an independent child protection expert, said that Facebook's announcement was a "considerable step forward in online safety" and that a co-ordinated approach with organisations like CEOP was better than just adding a panic button.

"The much called for report-it button alone does not make using social networking sites any safer, but a co-ordinated approach providing the additional reporting to CEOP is clearly worthwhile, as is a dedicated phone line for law enforcement," he said.

"Education is key to keeping children and young people safe online and social networking sites need to show a commitment to work with both statutory and voluntary organisation to promote safety on the Internet."

Facebook's vice-president of global communications and public policy Elliot Schrage said the proposals would help to improve the safety of the site and provided a wide-ranging update to its safety measures.

"The investments and partnerships we've announced today represent the most comprehensive public/private safety initiative since social networking began almost a decade ago," he said

The issue of child protection on social networking sites was pushed into the spotlight recently after it emerged teenaged student Ashleigh Hall was befriended by her eventual murderer on Facebook.

13 Apr 2010