Facebook and sexual grooming

[petemcewan 27]

Facebook is described as one of the UK's leading online sites for sex grooming-according to Peter Davies, CEO of the, "Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre" (Online Telegraph,Wednesday,3rd Feb 2016).

"British children are being "harvested" by foreign abusers" (Peter Davies).

Are there measures ,through the technology-that can be brought to bear ,and prevent such online activities ? Or is it hopeless , because the abusers will always find a way to defeat any safeguards ?

Facebook is not the only social media where such grooming takes place.If it isn't hopeless. Do parents, teachers, young people, and children, need instruction in spotting and shutting out, such intrusions into their social media ?

Davies go on to say ,that it is not the medium that's the problem, but the people who abuse it.

But there's a lot of them about(Peter McEwan).

Edited February 3, 2016 by petemcewan

[Hesther 10]

I see no reason whatsoever for children to have facebook accounts and believe parents that allow this are putting the wellbeing of their children at risk.

[999tigger 10]

I dont think the problem is with facebook. Parents have a big responsibility to teach their kids and regulate their internet usage. It would help if kids received online safety lessons.

[Quik 10]

Ensuring kids only add people they actually know in real life and monitoring it would solve the problem.

[Mister M 1,626]

As well as sexual grooming, Facebook is an arena where there is a lot of bullying of youngsters. At least in my day at school most kids would have a safe place at home where they could get away from the bullies. Social media has changed that.

Perhaps if Facebook, and others ploughed their enormous profits into investing in moderating staff who could safeguard the wellbeing of people using their site, perhaps it would make Facebook a safer place.

[El Cid 221]

As well as sexual grooming, Facebook is an arena where there is a lot of bullying of youngsters. At least in my day at school most kids would have a safe place at home where they could get away from the bullies. Social media has changed that.

 

Dont most children go online and on facebook, at home, a safe place.

[Quik 10]

Dont most children go online and on facebook, at home, a safe place.

 

I think the point he's making is verbal taunting would stop for a kid being bullied in our day when they got home, now a kid being bullied can get it 24/7 via facebook etc.

[El Cid 221]

I think the point he's making is verbal taunting would stop for a kid being bullied in our day when they got home, now a kid being bullied can get it 24/7 via facebook etc.

 

If they are posting or viewing at home, they are in a safe place. There is an off switch on most computers, and children can just walk away.

Just like children have to learn how to behave in the flesh, they also have to learn how to manage unwanted people posting on facebook.

If you get some banter, you either join in, or you ignore or delete.

[Quik 10]

If they are posting or viewing at home, they are in a safe place. There is an off switch on most computers, and children can just walk away.

Just like children have to learn how to behave in the flesh, they also have to learn how to manage unwanted people posting on facebook.

If you get some banter, you either join in, or you ignore or delete.

 

Kids can be cruel. And the net amplifies that.

 

Be honest if I started an 'el cid is an utter belter' thread (yes i know it would be deleted here but wouldn't be on facebook) and it got more and more responses would you not be tempted to look?

[Mister M 1,626]

Dont most children go online and on facebook, at home, a safe place.

 

I couldn't tell you whether most children go on Facebook. I do know that bullying on Facebook as well as other social media is a huge issue. Sometimes there are fatal consequences like suicide.

 

---------- Post added 03-02-2016 at 21:10 ----------

 

or perhaps instead of asking facebook to look after children, their parents actually take an active interest and monitor the usage themselves

 

I couldn't tell you how many parents do take an active interest, and monitor the usage. But I remember as kid I was very secretive, and would go mental if I thought my parents were spying on me.

 

I read quite a few stories of parents whose children have been bullied or abused and it's obvious they are wracked with guilt.

[the_bloke 17]

(Online Telegraph,Wednesday,3rd Feb 2016).

 

By Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent 3:47PM BST 15 Oct 2013

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/10380631/Facebook-is-a-major-location-for-online-child-sexual-grooming-head-of-child-protection-agency-says.html

 

.. but yes, the article goes on to say

 

'It is important to realise that the medium is not to blame, the medium might be managed better, so it is safer for its users.

 

But what is to blame is human behaviour, albeit through the internet amplified, multiplied and in some cases almost industrialised to a quite remarkable degree.'

 

'Bad people' have always existed, but with the Internet it's possible for these people to get in touch with children easier than before. What doesn't seem to have happened is parents making sure their children are safe online. It seems some parents won't let their 12 year old walk to shop but will help them make Facebook accounts and Xbox live accounts etc, not give them any restrictions and let them do what they want online without a care in the world.

 

The measures to protect yourself as an adult exist on social media, and they exist as a teen too. Parents have to accept responsibility when it comes to monitoring and protecting children online.

[El Cid 221]

The measures to protect yourself as an adult exist on social media, and they exist as a teen too. Parents have to accept responsibility when it comes to monitoring and protecting children online.

 

Not all parent are on facebook, I believe my daughter is on twitter, but I am not.