Facebook: Dangerous?
Recently, there have been concerns that Facebook is a hub for sex offenders.
The social networking website was accused of failing to protect the young people of Britain after a 17-year-old girl was lured into the hands of a previous sex offender, Peter Chapman.
She was groomed, kidnapped, raped and murdered.
Facebook have yet to implement a now widely used ‘panic button’ allowing users to report any potential abuse directly to CEOP - the UK's Child Exploitation And Online Protection Centre.
Chapman, 33-years-old and on the sex offenders register, posed as ‘a bare-chested, good-looking boy in his late teens’ on the site. He had over 100 young female friends, one of whom was Ashleigh Hall (pictured), a student suffering from low self-esteem.
Ashleigh had arranged to meet with Pete Cartwright, Chapman’s good looking alter-ego. Friends said Ashleigh was “giddy and excited” about a date with a 19-year-old boy. Peter Chapman carefully and deviously calculated a wicked trick. The 17-year-old girl told her mother she was staying overnight at a friend’s house. Chapman, posing as her new boyfriend, told Ashleigh his father – who Chapman also posed as – would pick her up to meet him.
He picked her up from her home in Darlington and took her to a deserted lay-by last October. He kidnapped her, bound her wrists, duct taped her nose, mouth and feet, then raped her as she suffocated.
After speculations that Facebook isn’t meeting CEOP’s expectations, a Facebook spokesperson exclaimed that the social networking site is one of the safest areas on the internet. Facebook was then in the spotlight after Jim Gamble, the former senior police officer in charge of CEOP, complained about Facebook refusing to attach a ‘panic button’ to the website.
Mr. Gamble told BBC Radio Four's Today programme that the UK's Child Exploitation And Online Protection Centre had received 267 reports last year about activity on Facebook, 43 per cent of which involved grooming — but only "one or two" had come from Facebook itself.
"The vast majority are coming from people who are, ironically, having to go to other sites that have our button and send the report to us. That is just not good enough,” he complained.
Ashleigh’s mother has urged other young people to be careful, she said: "Make sure you please do tell somebody if you are going to meet a person. That is the message, don’t go on your own."
Many claim that Facebook should have an age limit of 18. Using credit card details as a proof of age was one idea put forward.
There is a massive amount of young people using Facebook at the moment. If there was to be an age limit on social networking sites, young people would find a way around them. I think it is discriminating against young people that there should be an age limit. We like to socialise online with our friends too!
What is your opinion on Facebook and online safety?
2 Comments – Postiwch sylw
Pasternak
Rhoddwyd sylw 26 mis yn ôl - 19th March 2010 - 14:53pm
If they put an age limit on Facebook then NOBODY would use it and they'd go bankrupt. We'd just find another site to use instead.
It's not Facebook's fault there are some sick people out there, and it's only a risk if you actually get OFF the PC the go meet them in real life. Instead of encouraging ridiculous ideas like "put an age limit on Facebook" they should just encourage people to only meet "strangers" in groups and in safe public places.
jeopreddy
Rhoddwyd sylw 26 mis yn ôl - 20th March 2010 - 17:40pm
I agree with your view, no one should be encouraged in their own environment to meet someone who they are not familiar with. There is no excuse for what Peter Chapman has done, he is a manipulative, wicked man. And as Facebook is concerned, I think they should have a button to help prevent any other problems in the future. Thanks for your view Pasternak!