FTC Warns Congress of Social Networking Websites

In testimony before Congress, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) called on social networking Websites, like MySpace and Facebook to do more to ensure the safety of their younger visitors and to help parents protect their children from online predators.

In a prepared statement to the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, FTC Commissioner Pamela Jones Harbour said that the openness and ease of general access to the popular online gather places created heightened concerns for privacy and security.

“In particular, sexual predators may use the information that children provide on social networking sites to identify, contact, and exploit them, unless these sites are constructed to reduce access to this information, or users themselves take steps to limit unwanted access,” stated Commissioner Harbour.

The popularity of social networking Websites among teens has exploded rapidly. According to the FTC, MySpace and Facebook reportedly rank among the top ten websites among children age 12 to 17, based on the average minutes they spent online.

To help parents protect their children while online, the FTC offers the guide, Social Networking Sites: A Parent’s Guide (.pdf).

Also See:
Prepared Statement by FTC Commissioner Harbour (.pdf)
Social Networking Sites: Safety Tips for Tweens and Teens
Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-olds
High Court Overturns Child Porn Law