FACEBOOK has had to turn off some of its child abuse detection tools for European users because of new EU laws.
The tech giant said it was forced to do so because the new rules mean it can no longer automatically scan private messages.
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This means thousands of paedophiles could go undetected as they try to message children online or send illegal content.
Fortunately for the UK there will be no change as the message scanning is still compliant with “applicable laws”, according to Facebook.
The social media platform will still be able to detect any child abuse content uploaded in the EU, just not any potential child abuse occurring in private messages.
Child protection advocates have reportedly spoke out against the rules that mean images of child abuse and other illegal content could go unnoticed.
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According to the BBC, John Carr of the Children’s Charities’ Coalition on Internet Safety, said: “This train crash has been approaching since the summer.
“Neither the EU nor one of the world’s largest and most powerful tech companies could find a way of avoiding it.
“It is a very sad day for the children of Europe.
“We are heading for a very strange world if privacy laws can be used to make it easier for paedophiles to contact children, or for people to circulate or store pictures of children being raped.”
Back in October, the Council of the European Union admitted that the laws would cause a problem for the detection of child abuse.
It said: “Providers will not be able to continue to take such action unless a legislative measure is adopted with urgency and brought into effect by 21 December 2020.”
However, no legislation was put in place and now the changes have had to be rolled out.
Facebook said: “The safety of our community is paramount, and we are advocating for changes that will allow us to resume our efforts to identify this type of material.”
If you see any inappropriate content on Facebook you report it to the platform and action will be taken.
Top tips for keeping children safe online
Here’s some measures parents/guardians can take…
- The Sun previously spoke to online safety expert Claire Stead, who shared her top tips for parents who want to make sure their kids aren’t getting access to any dodgy material online.
- 1. Teach yourself: If you familiarise yourself with popular apps like Instagram and Snapchat then you’ll have a better idea of the risks your kids face, and how to prevent them.
- 2. Check privacy settings: Major apps and services – like Facebook or your Sky TV box – have ways of restricting access for young people, so check through the settings thoroughly before letting your child onto a device.
- 3. Get them offline: It’s key to remind children that there’s a whole world offline too, to help dampen the impact of potential cyberbullying – which Claire calls “the biggest concern around online safety”.
- 4. Talk to them: Make sure children know the risks they face but also make them aware that they can talk to you when things go wrong – particularly if someone is being mean to them, or being sexual with them, online.
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In other news, WhatsApp will soon stop working on millions of phones.
A video showcasing just how much the Facebook app tracks you has been shocking people on social media.
And, Amazon users in the UK may not be receiving their Xbox Series X orders before Christmas, leaving many very angry.
What are your thoughts on the Facebook changes? Let us know in the comments…
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
