All of us here at HFMC were delighted to hear today that Facebook is now going allow a “report button” application on its social networking site called ClickCeop. This in our opinion is great news with regard to the safety of children and teenagers and Facebook now join Bebo and Myspace who earlier responded to Ceop’s call for a report button to be installed on social networking sites last November. Ceop are the government’s law enforcement agency tasked with tracking down online sex offenders.

The launch of this safety application follows lots of negotiation between Ceop and Facebook and once installed it appears on their homepage to say that “they are in control online”.

“By adding this application, Facebook users will have direct access to all the services that sit behind our ClickCeop button which should provide reassurance to every parent with teenagers on the site.”

This is certainly progress as Facebook initially resisted Ceop’s attempt to interfere with their own reporting system but it would seem both sides are now happy with what they have come up with.

“We still have the Facebook reporting system and by having a pre-packaged application that users play an active part in, you not only help keep them safe, it makes all of their friends aware too, and acts as a viral awareness campaign.
“Ultimately though, this makes for a safer environment for users and that’s the most important part,” she added.

Let’s hope this partnership between Ceop and Facebook leads to our children being safer online. However, it can never take the place of careful vigilance by parents and discussing the dangers with our children should never be forgotten and should not be replaced by online safety buttons entirely.

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