Social Networks and Minors: The European Union Warns Facebook and Others

Facebook and several other social networks have received a stern warning from the European Union concerning the safety of minors on social networks.
Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the Commission and responsible for the Digital Agenda, stated that after analyzing the networks of various social media platforms, the unfortunate conclusion is that there isn’t enough safety for children engaging with Facebook and similar sites.
The only two platforms that received commendation are MySpace and Bebo, as they feature a system that automatically secures profiles by allowing access only through a network of personal contacts, thereby preventing users from becoming easy targets for malicious individuals.
The social networks examined were Facebook, Netlog, Bebo, MySpace, Arto, Hyves, Giovani.it, Nasza-klaza.pl, One.it, IRC Galleria, Tuenti, SchuelerVZ, and Zap.lu.
In addition to the safety of minors on social networks, the management of their online reputation is also a concern. As Kroes stated, “Young people are not fully aware of the potential consequences of publishing too many details about their private lives online”.
On this point, however, it is essential to bring up the role of “digital” education that parents (perhaps with the help of teachers) should provide to the younger generation. This is a task that does not fall on social network operators but could certainly be partially addressed by them, at least by specifying regulations and the consequences of one’s 2.0 social behavior more emphatically.
Overall, the investigation found that, with the exception of Arto, all analyzed social networks consistently provide assistance (with response times improved compared to last year) and security-related information, written in a manner that is quite understandable even for a young person.
These latter points are certainly important signals of attention towards younger users, undoubtedly more positive than previous findings. However, much still needs to be done, and not coincidentally, future European Union research will focus on an additional 9 sites frequented by minors.