Facebook ensures child-friendly environment for young users
Facebook has been deleting the accounts of its underage users, at a rate of up to 20,000 globally being wiped out each day, which the social media company said is only one of its numerous ways of policing its 630-million strong followers worldwide.
In Australia alone, Facebook has so far attracted the attention of some 10 million active account holders and the company's head of privacy department, Mozelle Thompson, has given assurance that underage Aussies will not be able to access adult materials through the site.
In a teleconference with the Australian Senate on Monday, Thompson said that while many underage users are members of the popular networking site, the company is working hard to ensure that these children would be able to access only safe contents when they use Facebook.
He added that "there are a lot of things on Facebook that happen on Facebook that don't happen every place else ... like limits on nudity and other things ... you can't do those things on Facebook."
Also, Facebook is planning to establish a cybersafety policy team within Australia, according to Thompson, which he added would be coordinating its work and functions with the Australian Federal Police.
Thompson stressed too that on the issue of child safety, "Facebook has been an active member of the consultative working group and their important initiatives like the cybersafety help button.
He said that Facebook Australia has been closely working with authorities "to develop an online safety guide that can be made available to the public."
The federal government said on its official website that the 'cybersafety help button' is a free app that would give "help and advice on a range of online risks including cyber-bullying, unwanted contact, scams and fraud, and offensive or inappropriate material."