FACEBOOK CAUSES CONTROVERSY
Would you type “beheading” or “extreme violence” into YouTube? Hopefully not. So would you expect such a video to appear on your Facebook news feed? Facebook has caused quite a stir this week after it announced that it would be lifting it’s ban on violent and graphic content, whilst standing firm on its ban on no nudity and sexual content.The controversy comes after a beheading video, was posted on the social networking site, sparking outrage and widespread criticism. A tweet from PM David Cameron’s claimed Facebook as “irresponsible” and said “worried parents” needed to hear an explanation. We live in an age where nothing is left to the imagination, the internet has become a global source for sharing information on just about any subject. Without it, many businesses and brands we know today wouldn’t exist, including Digital Clicks as everything we do here is for and because of this marvellous invention. It has never been easier to access the internet, with the growing availability of smart phones and tablets. Of course with the internet’s expansion, social media has moved with it to become an integral part of our lives, many companies including ourselves are also taking advantage, but is Facebook’s claims of “free speech” by allowing these posts of violence and acts of terrorism a step too far? Going back to Mr Cameron’s tweet, are parents right to be worried about such content? Children as young as 13 can access Facebook, with many parents unaware of the dangers the internet can create. It is unlikely that a child would search for these videos on YouTube or other platforms, but presented with these videos on Facebook, a curious 13 year old user is more than likely going to press play. Facebook claim they remove posts and videos if they are seen to “glorify” or “celebrate” violence, however a young user is unlikely to understand the difference even with a warning on the video. We are all bombarded with horrific news stories of terrorism and war every day, which is bound to affect anyone let alone of young teenager, just starting out in the world. So should it be down to the parents to police what their child is doing online? A recent study shows that children as young as 7 are now more likely to own a mobile phone than a book, so it is understandably difficult for parents to monitor their activities. A massive 50{06e29518e582b1cc2da09f8f2ea316dadc41c520023bcca83a4deb5e6ad0a3c6} in a recent McAfee study admitted to having no idea about their child’s online activities. Cyber expert Vijay Mukhi said, “We keep hearing about these children internet safety campaigns all the time, software’s like Net Nanny Act as internet content filter that help parents in controlling a child’s computer activity, but if children disable the software, objectionable content and unsecured sites can be readily accessible.”Online bullying through social media has come under scrutiny lately, so where does the responsibility lie? So perhaps parents must take a more hands on approach to what their children view on the net, but with Facebook providing these videos and images with relative ease, it will become increasingly difficult.