Child-safety button on Facebook
Facebook and the Home Office-backed Centre for Child Protection join forces to help make the internet safer for young users.
Young Facebook users in the UK can report suspected grooming or inappropriate sexual behaviour at the click of a button, thanks to a new online service launched today.
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre has worked with the popular social networking site to deliver the ‘ClickCEOP’ button that users can add to their homepage.
It provides a constant source of help and reassurance and acts as a strong signal to friends, family and others that they are in control online.
Download it now
James Brokenshire, minister for crime prevention said: ‘I am pleased that Facebook and CEOP have joined forces so that more children can report suspicious behaviour and gain access to the help, advice and support they need. I strongly urge parents to encourage their children to download this application now.
‘It’s a sad fact that we are now seeing more cases where sex offenders are using social networking sites to conceal their identities in order to contact children.
‘While this solution provides real help, it’s also vital that government continue to work with industry, police, and parents to educate children about the dangers they may face online.’
The application will be backed by a new CEOP page on Facebook, that when ‘liked’ by users will help raise the profile of online safety.
Meanwhile, an advert for the button will appear on every homepage of those aged between 13-18 years inviting them to add the application.