Twitter lagging behind in protecting users against child abuse

Twitter is lagging behind other social networks when it comes to removing users that post child abuse images.

According to the BBC, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) has urged the micro-blogging site to investigate whether paedophiles use the site to discuss abuse and link to pornographic images.

The reported cited former detective and now a child-protection expert Mark Williams-Thomas, who claims despite being reported as being in breach of Twitter’s child protection policy, some users some users remain active on the micro-blogging site for as long as weeks after the report has been filed.

“There is always going to be a problem with social networking sites, because where there is an opportunity offenders will seek that out,” he said.

“Clearly what Twitter needs to do is to take responsibility for its users. And when they identify there is somebody promoting child abuse material, swapping it or even discussing it the site must come down straight away.”

Twitter stated it deals with report over inappropriate material “immediately”.

“When we receive a report and identify it as valid, we take action immediately,” stated Del Harvey, Twitter’s Director of Trust and Safety.

“Accounts being reported may be the subject of law enforcement investigations. In those instances, while the profiles are certainly disturbing, removing them immediately can actually harm the cases that law enforcement may be attempting to build.”

While rival social networks such as Bebo and Facebook have installed so-called ‘Panic Buttons’ that grant users to flag up inappropriate content and get access to advice on how to stay safe online, Twitter currently requires users to scour the site for an email address where they can report concerns over users and the material they have posted.

“They [Twitter] are a tiny bit behind some other sites that have been around a tiny bit longer,” stated Peter Davies, the chief executive of CEOP.

source : www.pcadvisor.co.uk