Facebook has negotiated a deal with the Attorney Generals of 49 States to implement new safety and privacy rules.

The same Attorney Generals made a similar deal with MySpace in January of 2008 in order to increase protections against sexual predators.

Facebook is instituting new “’Key Principles Of Social Networking Safety,’ which will include cooperation with law enforcement, implementing technology to protect younger users, additional safety tools for all members, and additional education and safety resources for all members.”

Among other safety measures, Facebook will build in more automatic warning messages when underage members are in danger of giving out personal information to an unknown adult, restrict the ability of users to change their listed ages to under 18, more actively review images, videos, links, and groups, and work closely with the sexual predator database.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:

How do you feel about the additional safety measures that Facebook is taking to protect young users?  Do these safety measures increase the value of the social networking site by making it more safe, or do they simply create an illusion of safety in your opinion?  How might Youth Ministers inform Parents?

SOURCE:

TechCrunch (5/8) http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/08/breaking-facebook-to-announce-safety-and-privacy-deal-with-49-states/

Youth Culture Update online is an article summary compiled by Damien O’Farrell