Facebook With A 'Panic Button'

By Suparna Chakaraborthy

Friday, May 28, 2010, 15:06

Social networking site Facebook, will soon have a 'Panic Button' on it's pages. This button will enable Facebook users to directly link to CHEOP - Child Exploitation and Online Protection Center.

Richard Allan, Facebook"s director of public policy for Europe, revealed that the company is working “very closely" with CEOP on the project.

“We have continued talking to Ceop and are working very closely with them on a Facebook application that allows Facebook users, when they have concerns, to connect with CEOP," he said.

Until few days back, Facebook had refused CEOP's offer to add the panic Button despite public concern following the conviction of a serial rapist who used the site to meet an unsuspecting teenage girl.

Facebook at that time had refused the offer on the grounds that it had it's own “safety net" to ensure its users were secure online, but now with so many users accusing Facebook for it's lack of privacy, it appears that the social networking site has backed down.

CEOP representatives said, “We have been in dialogue with Facebook for some time. The recent public discussions were born out of frustration that we could not reach an agreement. Obviously we cannot confirm progress until we have an agreement in place with Facebook, but we are continuing to work with them."

Facebook also has other plans which CEOP. They believe that the two together can achieve great success.

“We have had a number of constructive meetings and are working on a range of innovative approaches that will help educate and raise awareness of how to keep safe online," concluded CEOP's representative.