According to a short article in School Library Journal and a Facebook blog post, the world’s largest social networking site now has a new safety page as well as an advisory committee of well-known online safety organizations. Both articles offer Facebook users a detailed guided tour of the new site where teens, parents, and educators can go for up-to-date information.
Users can navigate to safety information in several ways. A Facebook safety page looks just like any Facebook page with useful links and a wall with a fairly lively conversation. This page will also post important documents, educational materials, and safety initiatives.
A link at the top of the Facebook safety page leads to safety resources (see above right illustration), including a safety guide and frequently asked question and answers, organized by topic. The Facebook Safety Center (illustration just to the left) organizes topics in a sightly different way with FAQs — for educators, teens, and parents.
Two things make this Facebook initiative different from previous times when the company has promised to attend to online safety and security issues. First, the company has made all of the information easy to access and easy to understand. In addition, Facebook has created a Safety Global Advisory Board, inviting a group of recognized and well-respected online safety and advocacy organizations to provide information, feedback and recommendations. The groups are:
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