Facebook agrees to shield kids from adult content

Social networking giant Facebook has agreed to better protect children on its Web site, including providing automatic warning messages when a child is in danger of giving personal information to an unknown adult.

Facebook, which has 70 million online users, signed an agreement with 49 attorneys general and the District of Columbia to more aggressively remove inappropriate content, develop technology to verify the age and identity of users and restrict the ability of users to change their listed ages.

Rival MySpace, which operates the largest social networking site, with 110 million registered users, agreed to similar safeguards in January.

"This agreement establishes that Facebook shares our concerns about creating a safe online environment for children and teens to network," Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna said Thursday.

Chris Kelly, Facebook's chief privacy officer, said in a statement: "Building a safe and trusted online experience has been part of Facebook from its outset."

Last fall, New York state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo conducted an undercover investigation of Facebook after receiving complaints from users about harassment and inappropriate conduct.

In a letter to Facebook's chief executive, Cuomo wrote that investigators found underage users were targeted by sexual predators, there was "widespread pornographic and obscene content" on the site, and Facebook's response to user and parents' complaints was "slow, sporadic and inconsistent."

On Thursday, Facebook agreed to acknowledge consumer reports or complaints within 24 hours and inform the complainant within 72 hours of the steps it has taken to address the issue. The social networking site also will hire an independent examiner to review its complaint handling for two years.

Facebook said it will require users under 18 to affirm they have read Facebook's safety tips when they sign up, and immediately remove links to pornographic Web sites and groups that cover topics such as pedophilia, cyber-bullying or incest. It also will set up a 24-hour hot line to respond to law enforcement inquiries.

Texas was the only state that didn't sign on to the agreement.

Seattle Police Detective Melinda Wilson, with the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, said parents are the first line of security when their kids go online.

"These online sites can do all they can to protect or validate the age of these children and protect them as best they can," Wilson said. "There's only so much they can do. You have to have parents who understand what's going on and teach kids how to be responsible and make better judgments."

At Internet safety training she conducts for parents, Wilson stresses the importance of parents learning to communicate with their kids. A child should feel comfortable coming to you when something makes them uncomfortable online, she said.

Wilson has been speaking at more and more elementary schools, including a visit Tuesday to Chase Lake Elementary School in Edmonds.

"Parents left saying, 'Every parent needs to have this information.' It was very positive," said Patti Vicari, a librarian at the school who organized the event. "Kids are all over the Internet and we just want to make sure that kids are smart and safe."