14 DAY TRIAL // The sexual predators represent one of the biggest problems for the authorities from all around the world because anybody wants to stop this phenomenon which affects everyone of us. Obviously, most pedophiles can be found on social networking websites because this is the easiest way to interact with people of all ages and view multimedia content such as photos and videos. Yesterday, the Office of the Attorney General sent a subpoena to Facebook to require the documents concerning the security of the users and especially the protections which are applied to underage members.
"The [office of the attorney general] is concerned that in Facebook's efforts to grow, the company may be giving a lower priority to the safety and welfare of its users, and in particular, underage users," Attorney General Andrew Cuomo wrote in the letter according to The Register.
Facebook quickly replied that its officials are opened to talks and they will work closely with the authorities to resolve this matter. The representatives are "committed to working closely with all the state attorneys general to maintain a trusted environment for all Facebook users and to demonstrate the efficacy of these efforts," Facebook wrote according to the same source.
Do you think that Facebook is a calm and safe place? No matter your answer, here's what the authorities tried. A New York official registered as a 14-year-old girl on Facebook in order to find out if any other member contacts him requiring nude material. After only a week, another 24-year-old user demanded nude photos with the girl. The investigation was taken even further as the official pretended to be the mother of the girl and contacted Facebook to inform about the harassment of her kid. Although Facebook received the message, the profile is still available, The Register notes. However, the officials of the service sustain that things are going to be changed very soon.
"We take the concerns of the Office of the New York Attorney General very seriously. As our service continues to grow so does our responsibility to our users to empower them with the tools necessary to communicate efficiently and safely. We strive to uphold our high standards for privacy on Facebook and are constantly working on processes and technologies that will further improve safety and user control on the site," they sustained in a letter according to The Register.