Sexual predators give new meaning to Facebook poke

NEWARK, Del. – Although many students consider Facebook a guilty pleasure, the Web site has now been labeled “guilty” – of allowing sexual predators to go after young users. \nAndrew Cuomo, attorney general of New York, found evidence that sexual predators target young users on Facebook, pornographic content is accessible on the Web site and Facebook does not respond quickly to user and parental complaints. The attorney general is issuing Facebook a subpoena because of these issues. \nReshmy Vasist, deputy press secretary for the New York attorney general’s office, said the Office of the Attorney General set up profiles of 12- to 14-year-old girls on Facebook to test the Web site’s security settings.\n“We had investigators create profiles as underage users,” Vasist said. \nCuomo stated in a letter to Facebook that these underage profiles received numerous sexual solicitations within days, including such messages as “I’d love to get off on cam for you hun.” \nHe said the social-networking site ignored repeated complaints regarding sexual content from undercover investigators posing as users or parents. \nVasist said Facebook’s responses to complaints of sexual solicitation were “very sporadic.” \nUniversity of Delaware junior Jess Beebe said Facebook should respond immediately to any problems with sexual predators. \n“If something gets reported, then definitely it should be instantaneous,” Beebe said, referring to the response. \nIn his letter to Facebook, Cuomo said Facebook claims to “act accordingly” in response to unwanted messages on its “Privacy” Web site. \nVasist said Facebook should provide its users with secure settings and follow through with users’ expectations. \n“They should ensure that it is a safe environment,” she said. \nFacebook spokeswoman Brandee Barker stated in an e-mail message that Facebook is concerned with security on its Web site. \n“We strive to uphold our high standards for privacy on Facebook and are constantly working on processes and technologies that will further improve safety and user control on the site,” Barker said. \nShe said Facebook takes the concerns of the Office of the New York attorney general seriously. \n“We are committed to working closely with all the state attorneys general to maintain a trusted environment for all Facebook users and to demonstrate the efficacy of these efforts,” Barker said.