Facebook faces more pressure to protect children

FACEBOOK FACES MORE PRESSURE TO PROTECT CHILDREN
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Wendy Koch]
Facebook, the second-largest social-networking site, must respond within "a few weeks" to requests by state attorneys general that it do more to protect kids from sexual predators, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says. "If Facebook slams the door, we would consider legal options," says Blumenthal, who has negotiated with Facebook. He says the company must verify users' ages, among other things, and he expects a response within a month. Blumenthal says Facebook "talked the right talk" at a meeting Sept. 17, but "it has a long way to go before we'll be satisfied." A group of attorneys general has been investigating and negotiating with the rapidly growing company. Blumenthal said in July that investigators in his state found that at least three convicted sex offenders had profiles on Facebook. New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said this week that his investigators, who posed as young teens on the site, received sexual advances from adults and readily accessed pornographic images. Cuomo subpoenaed Facebook for documents on the security it promises its 43 million users and how it resolves complaints. He said Facebook should not promote itself as a safe website unless it protects kids.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070927/a_facebook27.art.htm