Facebook Introduce “Panic Button”

Following months of pressure from the tabloid papers, Facebook have finally followed in the footsteps of Bebo and MySpace by adding a “Panic Button” for younger users.

ClickCeop

The new application has been developed by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (Ceop) Centre, and puts young internet users directly in touch with the centre’s online reporting facility. This, in theory, means that users on Facebook will be able to quickly report any suspicious behaviour directed towards them.

Criticisms

But, Facebook being Facebook, there have already been criticisms levelled. Firstly, the button won’t be automatically installed on children’s accounts. It relies on users seeing a sponsored Ad for ClickCeop, and then choosing to install it.

Adult users have already started to voice concerns, as there’s nothing in place to stop fraudulent or malicious use of the reporting facility against innocent parties. So it appears that after months of criticism for not having a panic button, Facebook are facing months of criticism for having a panic button.

Whether this will take attention away from Facebook’s well-publicised privacy issues remains to be seen.

Photo Credit

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