Online

Facebook adopts new standards to protect children

Facebook Inc., the social networking Web site, agreed with 49 states to adopt a new set of online safety standards to better protect children online.

The agreement is similar to one the states reached in January with competitor MySpace Inc., a unit of News Corp., Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said today.

Facebook agreed to restrict searches by users over age 18 so they can't seek out younger users, send warning messages when a child is in danger of providing personal information to an unknown adult, act more aggressively to remove inappropriate content and groups from the site and participate in a task force developing age and identity verification software.

“This agreement marks another milestone step for social networking safety -- protecting kids from online predators and pornography,” Blumenthal, co-chair of the state coalition, said in a statement. “Facebook and MySpace are showing how to aim higher and keep kids safer.”

MySpace and Facebook have come under attack by regulators for not doing enough to police their sites and shield minors.

Facebook spokesman Chris Kelly said the company is committed “to these principles and to continue improving our technology and policy solutions to keep kids safer,” according to an e-mailed statement.

(Published by Bloomberg 8, 2008)