Odd Blog Couple: Social Media and the Public Good
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(businessandblogging.com) The Business Channel at b5media is examining the issues, two bloggers at a time. It’s called the Odd Blog Couple, and it allows to b5 bloggers to present their opinions on the same question.
For this project, I was paired with Bridget Wright of Biz Chicks Rule.
Our issue is a two parter:
- Should online social networking services like Facebook or MySpace be responsible for the actions of their users if those actions are illegal or later found to cause harm to another person?
- Does it matter if the harm involves a minor?
My answer to part one of the issue is that I don’t believe that social media sites such as Facebook or MySpace should be held directly responsible for the criminal activity of their users. I do believe that they should cooperate with any criminal investigations, particularly when a warrant is presented.
In addition, if a social media site becomes aware of any community member using the site for illegal purposes, then I believe that they should immediately take steps to bar that member from the site and remove any material that the user has published.
A quick search of the Internet seems to indicate that the courts, at least in the United States (U.S.), agree with me. Under the Communications Decency Act, an interactive online site is apparently protected from liability for the content posted by their users. You can read more about the judge’s decision in one case here.
My answer to part two of the issue is that I believe that social media sites should fully comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which prohibits a web site operator from knowingly collecting information from children under 13 years of age without parental consent. (Most sites already do this — that’s why they ask for an age when you register.)
Parents also have a responsibility to monitor their child’s online activity closely. Ask your children for the passwords to every site where they have an account. Make sure you know what sites they visit, and check their computer history often.
Be sure to check Biz Chicks Rule for Bridget’s perspective on this issue.
Tags: communications_decency_act, coppa, networking_services, online_privacy_protection_act, privacy_protection_act, social_networkingRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Fun, Social Media
7 opinions for Odd Blog Couple: Social Media and the Public Good
Jean Murray
Jan 24, 2008 at 6:27 pm
The problem is keeping track of people. There is just no way to prevent bad stuff from happening until it is too late. The Internet is wide open, which is a good thing, but it’s wide open, which is a bad thing. In other words, we take the bad with the good.
Jean
Laura
Jan 24, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Jean,
As far as I know, there is no really good way to keep track of people. Still, most sites ask your age. However, they accept your answer in good faith.
Benson
Jan 24, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Agreeing completely with your reasoning. Social webs should not be responsible for all the actions that the user take.
Disclaimers could be (or should have already been there) included during the point of registration and also like you say, adding the COPPA clause.
It’s like a real gun in the shop, the robber steals the gun and robs.
Who’s at fault? The robber definitely.
Laura
Jan 24, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Thanks Benson!
Well, when something bad happens the natural thing to do is to look for someone to blame - so, I do understand the opposite viewpoint.
Benson
Jan 24, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Most people will have the same views as we do. They’re basically subdivided into the conservatives and the modern, where conservative people thinks social web is BAAAAAD and should be taken out from the whole picture and the modern people who fully makes use of social webs to rip their own benefits like making friends, staying in touch and so on and so forth.
Most modern people would definitely take responsible for themselves when they’re using social sites like Facebook, Friendster, etc.
Laura
Jan 25, 2008 at 8:26 am
Hi Benson!
I’m not sure about the tags, but some people are comfortable with technology and others are not. That much is true.
b5media - Move over Felix and Oscar: There’s a New Odd (Blog) Couple in Town.
Jan 28, 2008 at 8:34 am
[…] Should online social networking services like Facebook or MySpace be responsible for the actions of their users if those actions are illegal or later found to cause harm to another person? Does it matter if the harm involves a minor? Biz Chicks Rule Business and Blogging […]
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