Jim Gamble, chief executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), said the social networking giant did not agree to his demands outright at a meeting in Washington but he felt they were moving in the right direction.<\/p>\n
Speaking after a four-hour meeting Monday, Gamble said Facebook was close to “doing the right thing” but urged the website to turn “words into action.”<\/p>\n
“I felt that at the end of what were lengthy and at times tense negotiation we are able to move towards a position. They are one small step away from doing the right thing,” said Gamble.<\/p>\n
“I am more optimistic than when I came. They are not saying no, that is very clear. But they were equally direct and they came with their own agenda.<\/p>\n
“There is no doubt they are looking to improve their position around child safety and we recognise that. What I am looking for is turning words into action.”<\/p>\n
The showdown came after controversy in Britain over Facebook’s refusal to include a “panic button” on its pages after the conviction of a serial rapist who used the site to lure and murder a teenage girl.<\/p>\n
Peter Chapman posed as a young boy to lure 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall to her death in northeast England.<\/p>\n
Calls have since grown for the inclusion of the buttons – which allow youngsters who feel threatened online to quickly contact a number of sources of help, such as CEOP or anti-bullying helplines.<\/p>\n
Politicians, police and anti-bullying groups have voiced outrage that the online giant will not bow to demands to include the system.<\/p>\n
Gamble said: “In our view they are experts at creating a fantastic online environment but they are not experts in law enforcement, the power of deterrents and the reassurance it brings for mums and dads.”<\/p>\n