Facebook face the bullies
Internet giant Facebook joins NOTW anti-bullying campaign
WEB OF HATRED
Amy-Louise Paul's life was turned upside down by cyber-bullies.
- EVEN MY TEDDY BEAR'S LEFT ME
- Sign up for our Click Bullying Into Touch petition
- Take this interactive quiz and get expert advice
- Hounded for losing her locks
- CLICK BULLYING INTO TOUCH
- Trail of online suicides
- Bebo introduces panic button
- We'll give our schools power to halt bullying
- Safeguards we have now
STATUS update: Facebook is... joining our Click Bullying Into Touch campaign as the net closes in on vile cyberbullies.
The social networking website is BACKING the News of the World's demand to tighten up online controls in order to shut down the sick web harassment making hundreds of thousands of children's lives unbearable.
In a major victory for the News of the World's campaign, Facebook - which has a whopping 20MILLION UK users - changed its privacy policy last week so evidence of serious abuse or cyberbullying can be handed over to the police.
And it has also PROMISED to set up an independent panel of online safety experts to examine its policies from next week onwards.
Richard Allan, Facebook's Director of EU Public Policy, said: "Facebook supports the News of the World in campaigning against bullying online."
It is the latest big win for our campaign to stamp out cyberbullying since launching two weeks ago.
Video sharing website YouTube has already signed up to Click Bullying Into Touch and promised to BAN cyberbullies in a "three strikes and you're out" system.
They have also met our demands for a clear system for reporting tormenters, with a "flag" abuse button under every YouTube video and a link to the site's safety centre for expert advice. By changing their privacy police last week, Facebook have now made it clear that users consent to the site sharing information with the police in response to legal requests and to prevent harm.
Mr Allan added: "At Facebook, we take the safety of our users extremely seriously. Educating people about the problem and how they can protect themselves online is key to tackling cyber bullying."
Their new Safety Advisory Board of e-safety experts from around the world will see five independent organisations review Facebook's policies on reporting abuse and harassment.
Safety
"We are constantly thinking of ways to expand our safety initiatives," explained Mr Allan. "To that end, Facebook is convening a board of advisors on safety issues.
"In addition to reviewing the safety materials that we provide our users, this group will advise us on industry best practices."
Facebook will also ban bullies from the website using a points- based system where users who pester others will be warned and then kicked out if they continue to taunt and tease. Serious offenders will be banned immediately.
Since we launched our campaign, Education Secretary Ed Balls has written to headteachers recommending they appoint a senior teacher responsible for anti-bullying policy - one of our campaign demands.
In another coup, TV childcare expert Tanya Byron - who is co-ordinating the government's response to cyberbullying through the UK Council for Child Internet Safety - also supports our demands.
She has vowed to "kick things along" if UKCCIS's strategy is unsatisfactory when it launches on December 8.
YOU can also join our fight to help the 340,000 children who are regularly bullied over the internet.
Just sign our petition by clicking here
You can get help and advice from the Beatbullying charity by clicking here .
We are demanding:
1. A CODE of practice for social networking sites with a flagged system for kids to refer offensive posts. Sites must respond to the complaints within six hours and supply copies of offensive posts to authorities. There must be a yellow card system for cyber offenders - with a red card and a ban for persistent offenders.
2. A SENIOR teacher in every school responsible for anti-bullying policy.
3. MAIN parties to set out funded anti-bullying measures in manifestos and the government to introduce a Schools Safety Bill and independent regulator for social networking sites.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT VICTIMS
By Emma-Jane Cross, Beatbullying Chief Executive and Children's Champion
IT'S fantastic news that Facebook have promised to act now on their responsibility to help tackle bullying.
It shows that that the News of the World readers can get real action - and Beatbullying needs your continued support for this vital campaign.
Schools Secretary Ed Balls and Shadow Education Secretary Michael Gove have vowed to make bullying an election manifesto issue.
But we must call persistent bullying what it is, a child protection issue.
Bullying is a problem which needs to be treated with as much urgency, commitment and funding as teenage knife crime or anti-social behaviour.
There are hundreds of thousands of victims in the UK who need to be protected against being beaten, mugged and harassed in our playgrounds.
Bullying contradicts the basic British values of fair play, justice, aspiration, opportunity and respect. It is something MPs, families, schools and young people must act collectively to stop, so we can support the people who lay in bed at night too terrified to go to school the next morning.
These victims are not able to make the most of themselves and their talents at school, because their ability to learn is undermined by thugs.
The introduction of bullying prevention programmes in the UK which have proven to reduce bullying and truancy levels surely must be a priority.
Protecting our children from bullying and taking firm but fair action to change the behaviours of bullies is about political will.
The News of the World, Beatbullying, families and teachers are ready to stand up and be counted.
We all believe schools can be a safer and happier place for those suffering at the hands of evil bullies.
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This article has 14 comments
Good to see Facebook taking some responsiblity for the safety of it's younger members.
It is no longer enough to sit on the sidelines and plead a 'it's our users, not us' defence anymore.
The introduction of Bebo's panic button and YouTubes '3 strikes and out' initiative are a good start to a problem that is increasing at pace.
The root of the issue, however lies in both public and private sector understanding of the digital environment, it's perils and positives.
The digital Britain debacle only highlights how the government has it's finger way off the pulse of how young britain uses technology on a day to day basis.
What is required is online privacy and reputation management legislation for all.
By Roy Murphy.. Posted November 30 2009 at 2:33 PM.
Really pleased to see Facebook join up to the campaign but does this mean they will actually start to take all this seriously instead of paying lipservice and doing nothing - as several of the comments prove. Government intervention and new laws are necessary to enforce policing of these sites. I too agree that all the agencies involved - ips, schools, police etc need to work together to help stop this. Zero tolerance is needed not points systems.
By Lin Jones Matt's mum.. Posted November 30 2009 at 10:01 AM.
My family and my self reeported a bully who threatened to wait for my little sister after school to 'set her face alight' and 'stamp on her face till her head caves in'. Although we reported him nearly three weeks ago, he still goes on to make other childrens lives a misery with his abuse and threats a facebook after nearly three weeks have done nothing, i wont hold my breath for this anti bullying campaign, but would certainly welcome it.
By Michelle Thomas.. Posted November 29 2009 at 3:52 PM.
Amy, yes; Exactly my point" - schools and colleges DO NOT EVEN TRY to boot these bullies out and it's about time they went back to doing that. Let the parents deal with what happens afterwards. We do not care where they go" - OUR good kids need rewarding and their education should not suffer due to bullies. Bullies are a minority. A week or two of that bully at home will soon wake these parents up-will get them and their kids to comply with what is good and acceptable behaviour. I know first hand and can speak with experience-thats a CERT. We want the best for all our children and young people, but the good should come first". Why should the rights of bullies come first-why should they matter? Bullies are being allowed to rule. "We want zero tolerance". I am fed up with all this tippy toe-ing around bullies and so are these parents who share my view especially parents who have lost their son or daughter through these nasty little pieces of work. I could write a book on this subject".
By Lisa Babe.. Posted November 29 2009 at 2:57 PM.
I am pleased that at last FB are doing something to protect the child that should not be on there in the first place, and now maybe they would like to protect the adults on there! I know that adult bullying takes place all the time on FB because its happened to me! and when you complain FB delete the INNOCENT (they deleted me!) and keep the bullies lol how frustrating is that? A female and her 'gang' lol who claim to be from London hacked into 2 mens FB accounts one in New Zeland another in Austrailia then stole the accounts, wrote disgusting things to thier families, E mailed lies to thier place of work and FB did NOTHING it took these men weeks of writing to FB while the girls paraded around on thier profiles... So I'll be very interested to see if there is any change at all...
By Helena.. Posted November 29 2009 at 1:14 PM.
I loved facebook until an awful lot of parents saw fit to let their children have accounts! i'm very much against it! (a) under 13's not supposed to be on it (b) clearly not all these kids are being monitored - eg a 12/13 yr old girl sucking a lollypop for a profile picture. I think its down to the parents at the end of the day and some of the excuses given for not monitoring are hilarious! .. i feel like i'm spying, i dont want them to feel like i'm watching their every move, its an invasion of their privacy???? outrageous rubbish! children under the age of 18 are referred to as minors for a reason.. and as parents it is our job to look after them and provide them with safety, lets face it would you really knowingly send your 13 yr old to the pub with a wad of money to gamble andspendon drugs!? they are KIDS! as far as facebook and bebo etc go,they need to sort out the people under their specified limit first... i know of at least 50 kids in my area under the ageof 13, some as young as 8 who areon facebook and who are bullying kids who aren't allowed by their sensible parents on social networkingsites. my humble opinion kids shouldnot be allowed on fb until 16 when they are more socially aware and more able to protect themselves AND parents who are aware that their under 13s are on such sites should be prosecuted
By duckie.. Posted November 29 2009 at 11:52 AM.
Just to add to my presvious post.
The following is from the facebook 'Terms of Service':
'Children under 13 years of age are not permitted access to Facebook. In addition, parents of children 13 years and older should consider whether their child should be supervised during the child's use of the Facebook site.'
By Tosh.. Posted November 29 2009 at 11:17 AM.
As a teacher and head of year, how can I exclude a child if they made a comment on a saturday night and then turn up for school on Monday. To solve this, it needs everyone working together. Parents, facebook/bebo and the child. Before these online sites were available, children would say things now the difference is, there can be proof of what is being said. Like I said, lets not put the blame on parents, schools or these sites. Working together it can be stopped.
By Louise.. Posted November 29 2009 at 11:17 AM.
Facebook is supposed to have an age restriction on membership, but they have loads of young kids even from primary school who are members of Facebook, I have complained about this several times to facebook and yet youngsters are still using facebook and a lot of them use it to cyberbully.
I think facebooks policies on letting post 15 kids on facebook is putting kids at risk.
By Tosh.. Posted November 29 2009 at 11:05 AM.
Amy - it's not me that said that! It was Lisa Babe.
The names are under the comment of person who makes comment.
By Gillian.. Posted November 29 2009 at 10:17 AM.
Gillian Schools DO teach about cyberbullying and internet safety. Since when is it JUST a school's responsibility to teach common sense? as for 'kicking the bullies out'... where are they then supposed to go? do you have ANY IDEA how hard it is to exclude children from schools? clearly not.
By Amy.. Posted November 29 2009 at 9:00 AM.
Hobnob - I wouldn't like someone looking over my shoulder when on the computer. I'd be even more ticked if I were under 18. And I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that to my son (when he's old enough) either.
Blocking a profile is a pointless really as can create new account.
We can't wrap children in cotton wool. But we can educate them and also have things in place like they doing on net now.
I'd say that it should be more difficult to open a profile. By that I mean that you should provide evidence of who you are and where you live. It's sad to say that really. But in this day and age - we have to be tougher.
By Gillian.. Posted November 29 2009 at 7:28 AM.
Excellent news - WELL DONE to all the people involved........keep up the good work and stamp out bullying".
Schools and colleges could be doing MORE....?? Kick the bullies out.........
By Lisa Babe.. Posted November 29 2009 at 5:07 AM.
Simple things can improve chat safety like having your parents with you when yoy surf, having the pc in a public room where it can be kept an eye on, setting privacy to friends only so you don't get unwanted messages from strangers.
Parents need to be checking chat logs in MSN and Yahoo to see who their kids are talking to and what about.
People ned to make use of the ignore, block and delete features in the chat progams and social networking sites and remember every PC has an off switch try using it sometimes
By hobnob.. Posted November 29 2009 at 4:54 AM.