Facebook, states agree on new online safeguards

HARTFORD, Conn. 

Facebook, the world's second-largest online social networking site, will add more than 40 new safeguards to protect young users from sexual predators and cyberbullies, attorneys general from several states, including Virginia, said Thursday.

The changes include banning convicted sex offenders from the site, limiting older users' ability to search online for subscribers under 18, and joining a task force seeking ways to better verify users' ages and identities.

"The agreement marks another watershed step toward social networking safety, protecting kids from online predators and inappropriate content," said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who announced the agreement Thursday with his counterparts in several other states.

The attorneys general have been negotiating with Facebook and MySpace, the world's largest online social networking service, for tighter controls.

MySpace, which has more than 200 million users, agreed in January to steps to better verify users' ages and protect youngsters from online sex predators and bullies.

"Social networks that encourage kids to come to their sites have a responsibility to keep those kids safe," North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper said. "We've now gotten the two largest social networking sites to agree to take significant steps to protect children from predators and pornography."

Facebook, the second-largest site behind MySpace, has more than 70 million active users. Messages seeking comment were left Thursday at its headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif.

The growth of MySpace, Facebook and other online networking sites has created a new venue for sexual predators, who often lie about their age to lure young victims. It also has spawned cyberbullies, who have sent threatening and anonymous messages to other users.

Among other changes, Facebook has agreed to:

— Ensure companies offering services on its site comply with its safety and privacy guidelines.

— Keep tobacco and alcohol ads from users too young to purchase those products.

— Remove groups whose comments or images suggest they involve incest, pedophilia, cyberbullying or other inappropriate content.

— Send warning messages when a child is in danger of giving personal information to an unknown adult.

— Review users' profiles when they ask to change their age, ensuring the update is legitimate and not intended to let adults masquerade as children.

The agreement announced Thursday is similar to one that MySpace reached in January with 49 states and the District of Columbia. Texas has not endorsed the agreements because its leaders have said they want quicker action on verifying users' ages and identities than the measures included in the pacts.

The tighter protections could eventually be expanded to smaller services such as Friendster and Bebo, Blumenthal said.

"We're entering a new era in social networking safety," Blumenthal said. "This agreement is open-ended in envisioning advances in technology that will permit even stronger steps in the future toward protecting kids' safety."