EC Pressing Social Networks On Privacy, Kids’ Safety

European lawmakers are waving research data under web services’ noses, in their ongoing efforts to legislate safeguards for those who use social networks and other websites…

“Only two social networking sites (Bebo and MySpace) ... have default settings to make minors’ profiles accessible only to their approved list of contacts,” according to a new report for the European Commission on implementing the continent-wide Safer Social Networking Principles, which were signed in 2009 by 21 services including Facebook.

The EC’s digital agenda VP Neelie Kroes, who now aims to revise the principles as a response, declared herself “disappointed” sites aren't meeting this threshold. But 14 social networks tested do give minors age-appropriate safety information, respond to requests for help and prevent minors’ profiles from being searched via external search engines.