Security Chief: Facebook Needs Panic Button

The head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) has said he "cannot understand" why Facebook does not install a "panic button" for children.

It follows criticism of the site after sex attacker Peter Chapman used it to make friends with 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall by posing as a teenager.

Last week Chapman was jailed for life for the kidnap, rape and murder of the childcare student.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson is expected to meet representatives of Facebook today to discuss why the site has not introduced the report abuse button.

CEOP boss Jim Gamble told Sky News: "Some people are suggesting they would like to deal with these issues internally.

"But I cannot see what they are doing. We are offering free, direct and credible advice.

"I cannot understand why we face the difficulties that we do."

Mr Gamble said he had invited Facebook to discuss the issue on a number of occasions.

The button would give children direct access to charities like Childline and the NSPCC as well as the police, he said.

"It does not fix anything but we have rescued, in partnership with the police service and with many other social networking websites, hundreds of children from potential abuse.

"There is no logic to Facebook's decision.
"The button is a deterrent, just like a burglar alarm on a house, that says this environment empowers children and parents to get the right information and have immediate access to police.

"It is a holistic approach in dealing with the issue and should help social networking sites make these fabulous modern environments even safer for young people."

In a statement, the Home Office said: "Hundreds of websites sites have already signed up to CEOP's report abuse button that enables young people to seek help if they think they are in danger online.

"We don't see any good reason why major sites wouldn't want to offer the same option to help protect younger users which is why we want Facebook and other providers of sites who haven't signed up yet to do so."

A spokesman for Facebook said bosses were "looking forward" to the meeting with the Home Secretary.

"We regularly work with national law enforcement organisations and the world's leading experts in online protection to ensure we provide the best possible security for anyone that uses the site.

"We actively seek out opportunities to innovate and improve our reporting systems all the time." Source: Skynews