Facebook forms board to improve safety

Facebook will work with online safety organizations to improve information about online safety issues

By Mikael Ricknäs, IDG News Service
December 07, 2009 09:10 AM ET

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Facebook is setting up a new advisory board to improve user safety on its social networking site, it said on Sunday.

Online safety organizations Common Sense Media, ConnectSafely, WiredSafety, Childnet International and The Family Online Safety Institute have all joined the Safety Advisory Board, according to Facebook.

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Safety issues for Facebook users include cyberbullying and phishing.

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One of the board's first projects will be to revamp the security section on Facebook's help site. The updated section will be more comprehensive and include content tailored for parents, teachers and teens, Facebook's director of European public policy, Richard Allan, wrote on the company blog.

Facebook isn't elaborating on when the new content will be ready.

Improving safety online is a group effort, according to Allan. It requires diligence from everyone who's online or on Facebook -- whether by reporting abusive behavior or making sure account passwords are kept secure, he said.

Working together is an important part of improving online safety, agrees Will Gardner, CEO at U.K.-based Childnet International.

"From our point of view, it is a great opportunity to influence one of the biggest social networking sites," he said.

However, Gardner doesn't want to comment on how Facebook's safety features and information on safety issues can be improved.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.