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Bebo has become the first social networking site to install a panic button to protect children from predatory sex offenders who trawl the web hunting for victims. Youngsters who fear they are being groomed by paedophiles will be able to report their concerns direct to police online.
The help button displayed on every page on the site, which is popular with teenagers, will also link them with ChildLine and the BeatBullying help group.
It follows a series of appalling cases of sex offenders stalking children online and comes as a senior police officer hit out at other social networking sites for not doing enough to keep youngsters safe.
Jim Gamble, head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (Ceop) Centre, said in Facebook and MySpace didn’t do enough to stop paedophiles and ‘cyberbullies'.
Charity Beatbullying also pinpointed Bebo and Microsoft’s instant messaging service as hotspots for bullying. Bebo, which is owned by AOL and the site of choice for schoolchildren, had been nicknamed ‘bullybo’ due to the amount of complaints it has received.
Beatbullying polled 2,094 young people across England and found nearly a third (30 per cent) of 11 to 16-year-olds who had been ‘cyberbullied’ had been targeted on Bebo.
Mr Gamble said there is ‘no legitimate reason’ for refusing to put the button on a website.
He said: ‘I do not want my criticism to be taken as a swipe at the online industry. The vast majority of players are doing a good job and doing their best to make the environment safe.
‘This is aimed specifically at social networking sites. They are creating a public space that attracts young people, children and adults, so they can make money through advertising.
‘We applaud that but do not forget while you do that there is a responsibility, a duty of care, to the young and the vulnerable.‘We are here to help at a low cost, in fact, this is free, we are giving away this service. What cost can you put on child protection? I have seen the horrible aftermath of it.’
'What cost can you put on child protection? I have seen the horrible aftermath of it.' Mr Gamble said some sites claimed technical issues block the button while others suggest companies do not want to lose a potentially-lucrative advertising space.
He added: ‘It is tiny and does not take up any significant real estate. The bottom line is there is no legitimate reason for not taking it and placing it on a site.’
The Ceop report button allows computer users to report fears directly to the Ceop Centre in central London. There are also links to 10 other sources of help including Childline and charity Beatbullying.
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