Facebook just turned 5 years old. But a week that should have been filled with reflection and good times was instead marred by a series of breaking news reports detailing sex scandals, phishing, and other malicious activity on the world’s largest social network.
In his blog post announcing the 5-year milestone, founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote that “Facebook has offered a safe and trusted environment for people to interact online, which has made millions of people comfortable expressing more about themselves.” But is Facebook really as safe as everyone seems to think?
It’s Been A Long Week
On Tuesday, February 3rd, we reported that thousands of sex offenders (many of whom were previously booted from MySpace) were lurking on Facebook (they’ve since been removed). As CNET’s Caroline McCarthy pointed out, these might not have necessarily been MySpace ‘refugees’ in the sense that they migrated en masse from MySpace to Facebook – they likely maintain profiles on multiple social networks. But the fact remains that there were thousands of convicted sexual offenders on a social network that is generally perceived as safe.
On Wednesday, news broke of an elaborate and disturbing sex ring involving at least 31 high school students. An 18 year-old man named Anthony Stancl has allegedly been masquerading as high-school girls on Facebook, flirting with underaged male classmates and convincing them to send him nude photographs. He would then use the photographs to blackmail the boys into performing sexual acts with him, which he took pictures of using a cell phone. Stancl has been charged with 12 felony counts and up to 300 years of jail time. (In a somewhat bizarre twist, Facebook responded to news of the sex ring by stating that fewer than 1% of its 150 million users are affected by impersonation schemes. So, around 1.5 million people. Not exactly a confidence-inspiring statistic.)
The same day, Facebook updated its Terms of Service, rewording many of its rules to make them easier to understand and explicitly prohibiting some common transgressions, like including false information in profiles or creating fake accounts. But there was one far more timely addition: “If you are required to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction, you may not use the Facebook Service.” Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt says that sex offenders had previously been banned through a number of other more general statements in the Terms of Service, but that the company wanted to make it more explicit.
On Friday, CNN reported on an increasing number of phishing attacks seen on Facebook, using a technique we first heard about in January. After gaining access to compromised accounts, scammers are now using Facebook to ask the victims’ “friends” for cash. The attacks can be particularly effective because the scammers can easily look up personal details of the people they’re contacting.
Finally, Maryland banned both Facebook and MySpace from its General Assembly Computers, as they had been the primary sources of numerous malware attacks (though we should note that the rumored ban of Facebook in Apple stores was overblown). Update, 2/10/09: The Maryland General Assembly has reversed its decision to ban Facebook, though the ban on MySpace remains in place.
Had each of these stories broken on their own, they probably would have been met with little more than raised eyebrows. After all, with over 150 million users, it’s inevitable that some bad things are going to happen (and they have before). But taken together, it’s clear that Facebook isn’t quite the safe haven we might perceive.
How We Got Here
Since launching in 2004, Facebook has benefited from its public perception as a safe, clean site – especially compared to its biggest competitor, MySpace. Whereas MySpace allows users to customize their profile pages with graphics and audio (sometimes to the point of making them obnoxious), Facebook has maintained a more pristine environment, which certainly helps bestow a feeling of safety.
Facebook is also theoretically more secure. When it first launched, only users with valid university (.edu) Email addresses could sign up. Over the years the site expanded to allow high school students, and eventually opened up to everyone. But each group of students or coworkers is still segmented into different ‘networks’ – you can’t browse through anyone’s profile unless you belong to their university or company network, usually verified through Email. These roadblocks add up to make creating fake profiles more of a challenge, but as we’ve seen in the last week, they can be overcome.
Perhaps most important to note is Facebook’s relatively good security record up until this point. Parry Aftab, an independent online security expert who heads WiredSafety, says that there have been fewer sexual predator attacks on Facebook than its competitors and that her studies have found its security measures to exceed those seen elsewhere. She also notes that in general, users have behaved better on Facebook, and that teenagers have reported that they “feel safer” on the site.
But Aftab says that given how quickly Facebook has grown – it jumped from 100 million users last August to over 150 million users today – she isn’t surprised that some registered sex offenders slipped through the cracks. In her words, “if you have 150 million users, you’re going to have all kinds of bad people”.
So what measures can Facebook take to maintain its wholesome image?
What Needs To Change
Last May, Facebook announced that it had forged a deal with Attorneys General from 49 states to implement new safety and privacy rules (MySpace had adopted similar measures a few months earlier). Among the new policies were agreements to “aggressively remove inappropriate images and content” and to “more prominently display safety tips”.
At the time we noted that this was probably a tough measure for Facebook to swallow – such initiatives can be very costly in terms of manpower, especially when it comes to moderating content. And frankly it looks like Facebook hasn’t really lived up to its promise. For starters, MySpace has a pair of human eyes looking at every photo uploaded to the site. Facebook doesn’t – instead, it relies on users to flag any content they find inappropriate. Aftab says that this system is effective, but I don’t regard it as “aggressive” – I’d much rather hear that Facebook employs a dedicated team to scan through photos, even if only for those shared by minors (or even better, a combination of flagging and human scanning).
This events of this week, and the sex ring case in particular, will likely be a wakeup call for Facebook, akin to MySpace’s tragic suicide case a few years ago. As it continues its rapid growth, Facebook needs to step up both its technological and manpower efforts to more effectively deter malicious behavior. And Facebook’s Chief Privacy Officer Chris Kelly, who plans to run for Attorney General of California, can’t afford to let these issues fall to his successor.
But the reality is that no matter what these social networks do, they’ll never have the technology or the manpower to stop every threat. Which is why they need to stop pretending that they’re safe. Facebook’s (and MySpace’s) goal is to connect as many people as possible, and the sad truth is that many people are very naive when it comes to online safety. These social networks need to step up their education and awareness efforts, perhaps even offering a ’safe mode’ for users (even adults) who aren’t adept at navigating the web’s pitfalls. Because sharing is only fun until someone gets hurt.
In an age of sharing everything, their will be and has been some serious consequences. We have to use our
better judgment and common sense about what we share on any website. Less is more.
parents and grandparents thank TC for making facebook safer place..
It seems one of those consequences is bad grammar…
Not all consumers of social networking sites such as FaceBook are completely at a loss as to the fact that they are not safe havens. There is a channel on YouTube where a bunch of college kids have a vlog, their most recent post was on how ’scary’ chat rooms can be. Go about half way through the video to see the comments on this recognition among young people about the ’safeness’ of social media. It’s funny too. http://www.yout...collegevlogproj
Definitely it is not safe (or even discrete) to put your photos, and your friend’s photos drunken, to label them, your hobbies, mail, phone.
Many companies have commented on the problems of security of social networks on the internet…
http://managers...r-y-nowandnext/
regards
check out EnetBaron.com
check out EnetBaron.com
check out EnetBaron.com
check out EnetBaron.com
These social networks need to step up their education and awareness efforts, perhaps even offering a ’safe mode’ for users (even adults) who aren’t adept at navigating the web’s pitfalls. Because sharing is only fun until someone gets hurt.
http://tinyurl.com/acprgq
In other news, the internet can be dangerous.
True story. Only post what you are comfortable with the whole world seeing.
No shit sherlock!
cooljobsalways
http://tinyurl.com/7uj5ay
wow youre dense.
No, people can be dangerous.
The title is dumb. Nothing online is a “safe haven”, and very few places in the world are. Think about it.
Good call there my friend. Nowhere is really 100% safe these days.
My motto is only post something if you are okay with it being put on a BillBoard in times square with your name beside it, that way your safe.
All the best.
Anyone saying that Internet can be safe should refer to this post.
And driving’s only fun until you get in a wreck.
And sports are only fun until you get injured.
And drinking’s only fun until you get sick.
Where’s the insight? What’s the point?
More people get raped and murdered in Wal-Mart parking lots than as a result of connections on FaceBook. Your sensationalist crap is getting kind of tired.
(If you’re reading this, expect it to disappear like all of my other comments, about 2 minutes after it makes it onto the site. TechCrunch writers are as think skinned as an onion.)
Not all are as insightful and smart as you.
I wrote about this years ago – that the perceived safety and anonymity of Facebook is neither – http://pop-pr.b...-car-crash.html
Zuckerberg has raised $516M.
Does anyone have an idea what his percentage stake might be in the company?
Thanks Guys.
Somewhere between 0 and 100%
I’m gonna kick your ass ideaguy. Speaking of ideas I just gone.
Thanks
In other news, the safe and valuable societal mechanism called automotive travel cost the lives of 40,000 people last year.
WTF, Jason. Seriously. Is it that hard to crank out your 600 words? I know you’re too smart to slurp up the crap you’re peddling here, but do you really have that level of contempt for your readers that you think they’ll buy this crap?
(if you’re reading this, expect it to disappear in a minute or two. tc writers like Jason are as thin-skinned as an onion.)
“fewer than 1%”
Last time I checked, fewer than 1% doesn’t mean anything like “about 1.5 million,” especially when you could say “fewer than 10%” or “fewer than 50%” and refer to the same number, likely much SMALLER than 1.5 million, of people.
Let’s not talk about confidence-inspiring statistics until we learn the meaning of “fewer than” hmm?
I lost interest in taking this article seriously when I hit the spin.
if they say fewer than 1% is because its .99% they will always use the smallest number they can, if the number is smaller why give a bigger one and leave it open to interpretation ?
@Andrew agreed.
I know this isn’t related to facebook, but I wish somebody would pump battery acid through the sprinklers at the Canadian house of commons and the Quebecois assemblee nationale. I hate french and socialism so much it’s unbelievable.
OK, with that out of the way,
Nothing online is a safe haven. You should use your online privileges responsibly, and parents should teach their kids to. Thanks to TC for letting me express my honest opinions about the horrible nation of Canada.
Every goodthing can be used as a bad thing too.
How about “Don’t send naked pictures of yourself out to people you don’t know–in fact, it’s probably a bad idea to send them to people you DO know — friendships are fickle. If you’re underage, don’t send any pictures period that can be traced to you. Oh yeah, and while you’re at it, how about not posting jailbait photos of yourself on your profile? ” How about, “don’t agree to meet up with a stranger in a secluded place.” How about just acknowledging “there are not nice people on facebook” just like there are in the park at night.
Safety is an illusion. We risk everytime we go out our front door. Why should a social network be any different. What’s sorely lacking is common sense.
Unfortunately, fear is more an illusion (generally for civilized humans).
I’m sorry, but this is absolute bollocks. I don’t work for Facebook or have any stake in the service except as a user, but I’m sick and tired of intentionally sensationalist “ZOMG!!!!!1 THINK OF THE CHILDREN” tripe.
FACT: Your kids are FAR more likely to be molested by someone they know (in real life) — likely a family member — than a stranger. Not to mention a stranger that’s on Facebook.
People formerly convicted as “sex offenders” on Facebook? Oh noes! Next thing you’re gonna tell me is that we can also find on Facebook (and on e-mail and on knitting message forums and on Craigslist and on company mailing lists) convicted murderers, con men, thieves, liars, cheats, adulterers, etc.
Get a grip. Until and unless you rename this site “The Enquirer,” cut it out with the pathetic crap that ignores statistics and seeks only to shock folks and generate pageviews. You’re not only hurting services like Facebook, but you’re hurting the people that like those services (because I can just imagine that soon one day all the vacation photos I upload there will go live a day or three later after being “approved”) and — more importantly — you’re hurting parents and kids by obscuring what really matters, what really is threatening.
I will never understand people who put their cell phone numbers, education/income details and other strictly personal data on any social networking site – not just on Facebook. That’s just plain dumb IMHO.
I agree, anyone who leave personal information on any social network is just asking for trouble, it does not matter that abuses heartly happens, the fact remains that it only takes one time. Keep your private information private.
150 million folks on one social network.
This is roughly half the population of the US.
Facebook may well be many times safer than the actual homes, neighborhoods, cities, towns and villages that this 150 million populate.
So “thousands of sex offenders” are on Facebook?
So what? Do “sex offenders” not have friends? And how many of those “sex offenders” are engaged in something nefarious? All? None? Ten?
Further, the whole “sex offender” label is too ambiguous. Especially when in some jurisdictions simply urinating in a parking lot equals indecent exposure equals “sex offender”.
As may putting up a nude photo of yourself if you’re underage.
Just more sensationalism masquerading as news.
What? you mean nobody can guarantee my safety on the internet? How frightening.
I’ll just stick with interacting in the real word instead, where there are no consequences to what I say or do.
LOL
Hi Everyone,
You may have been looking for a way to showcase / highlight the trustworthiness of your profile and claim advantage over the fake / fraud online profiles. Your wish has come true. Join http://www.crederity.com/ to convert your profile into a digital credentials card that is easy to share
There must be a dip in your advertising revenue. That’s the only reason I can fathom an utterly sensationalist truth be damned post like this.
I suggest there should be an IQ test before registration form.
This is a piece of crap..i can’t even believe you wrote this for the world audience.
I agree with Frank- FACT: Your kids are FAR more likely to be molested by someone they know (in real life) than the shadowy figures in facebook. By all means internet will never be a safe haven and if somebody thought so, then it is high time you wake up to the reality. It is very simple be careful when dealing with strangers whether in real life or internet.
I’m surprised at the indifference expressed by so many, or the out-and-out scoffing. Of course the world isn’t “safe,” off line or on. That doesn’t mean we quit taking the safety measures we CAN.
As for pedophiles and protecting the children?
Please, that should be a given…not be down played. Ask anyone whose had that happen as a child, or the people who love that child.
Protect children from pedophiles = great idea.
However, while it is true that all pedophiles are sex offenders, not all sex offenders are pedophiles. Most are just people trying to live their lives.
Megan’s Law (and it’s various State-by-State variants) are a wonderful idea – protect children from pedophiles. However, the original intent behind the law has become perverted in its implementation, so that the 18-year-old who has sex with his 17-year-old girlfriend becomes branded a sex offender, is tracked by law-enforcement for *LIFE*, and is hounded and harassed by well-intentioned people trying to protect children from pedophiles. All because of the mistaken belief that all sex offenders are pedophiles.
facebook is the best social network but the main question is for how long?
unfriended!
OK??
Do you really believe that millions of facebook users are all real profiles?! Most of my friends have 2 or 3 profiles. One for real, one (fake) for “cyber” issues, and one (fake) for spying around people. I have never got into this stupid social networking sites. Waste of time for people, more money for Zuckerberg-kid. For me internet is a one way traffic. I do not upload anything PERSONAL on the web and there is no need any people to lnow what I am doing. Number 1 rule in IT business is: If you make something online it STAYS online!!!
right…
well … social media might not be for you then…
Would TechCrunch cover a social network/support group startup for sex offenders? At this rate, if they’re excluded from every other social net, they might as well start their own.
that is the price of being a mature company…
So, life’s finally seizing fb, too. Anyone surprised?
At first FaceBook was the holy grail of social media, however now people are waking up and realising the privacy implications of these types of applications; I have heard of job employers searching out people’s facebook accounts to see ‘what they do in they’re spare time’.
WHen something get bigger,the less attentions it will it to the detail,Facebook has secure means to socialize but it wont be that secure as what bank build to there system,I think if facebook want to keep ahead I think they better be aware with more what they build for the first time.however I think they wont consider then profitable,over more.I think they already “take benefit”from what happen inside there user account only that “clearly means To harm to other facebook`ers
Common sense is the only to stay safe in any situation. With all the education/propaganda that has been given to us the people who fall for these thing’s must be stupid, to some extent, to be sucked into some-thing that is obviously sense-less.
It’s interesting that no mention of the Internet Safety Technical Task Force report on on-line safety is mentioned. The following is from one of the lead author’s of the study, in response to the MySpace ‘discovery’ of sex offender numbers:
“Why are we so obsessed with the Internet side of the puzzle when so many more kids are abused in their own homes?” … http://www.zeph...g_the_math.html
The study is here: http://cyber.la...brelease/isttf/
Superb work Jason! I don’t usually link in the comments, but here is some more news and takes on this issue. My comments and investigating are too extensive to clutter here.
http://www.pami...-sex-offenders/
I think social networks can be safe. If facebook is comprised of college students, these are legal aged adults over 18. They can implement a safe mode for minors and adults. Maybe create a Facebook police for solving and stopping cyber-crime. I am much more concerned about the phishing and money scams. They need to put up a Warning for Immediate contact if you are sent a message from a friend asking for money. This is something that can be easily fixed with a button on the top corner to bring awareness and report compromised accounts.
Wow.
The world isn’t safe. Duh. If you join a club that anyone can join, there’s going to be some predators lurking. Welcome to reality.
There’s a fundamental reason why Facebook has had a good safety record – it’s a social utility, a tool for keeping in touch with friends in RL. The more grounded any social network site is in offline life, or real-life relationships, the more accountability people’s behavior on it has. It’s when people start trying on different personas or acting out fantasies in an anonymous environment when things can get a lot more dicey. But not matter how close a social site stays to RL, it can’t be 100% safe – it’s going to have things happen like the “sex ring,” as you call it. The social Web now reflects a pretty good cross-section of humanity – not unlike what’s represented across the telephone networks. Phone companies were never able to keep arguments and threats from happening between people on the phone. This doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be held responsible to keep things as safe as possible – with tech and human moderation – but a lot of the solution is user education (and parent-child communication) going forward, I think.
–Anne
This article is very weak. Compare Facebook to any nation the same size and lets see how it stacks up in terms of crime. All communities have bad people!
Jason, please follow this up with the following reports
+ Earth: Safer when no people lived on it.
+ Highways: Awesome without the cars.
+ Public education: Not all teachers are qualified.
+ Government: Some public servants are corrupt.
+ Journalists: Some are really not that talented!
This article is very weak. Compare Facebook to any nation the same size and lets see how it stacks up in terms of crime. All communities have bad people!
Jason, please follow this up with the following reports
+ Earth: Safer when no people lived on it.
+ Highways: Awesome without the cars.
+ Public education: Not all teachers are qualified.
+ Government: Some public servants are corrupt.
+ Journalists: Some are really not that talented!
+ Duplication: not as much fun the second time around
Why is this such a big deal? Having your kids play outiside is no longer safe, why should Facebook be responsible for making online safe????? If you give out personal information online, just as if you go give out personal information on the street, things are dangerous.
Newsflash: NO one is going to parent for you! If you are a parent, no excuses…things are tough, yeah, but you decided to have kids…so take that responsibility and PARENT…
I’m saddened, but not surprised, that Facebook is all the rage these days. Mark Zuckerberg, a wannbe Bill Gates, has styled his business plan after that of Microsoft, i.e. hide all the warts of the medicore product that you peddle with lots of grandiose statements and a flood of marketing.
Facebook is a joke. In another year or so something else will come along to supplant Facebook, just like Facebook supplanted MySpace, just like MySpace supplanted Friendster, just like Friendster supplanted AOL, just like AOL supplanted Usenet newsgroups, just like Usenet newsgroups supllanted the BBS, which ultimately was the best form of social networking because it was based on text.
Amen to that. Facebook and any other Social Network come and go with the wind. Social Media and Social Networking change at the speed of thought. New technologies bring new competition, look at how bad Google kicked Microsoft’s ass in search when they launched.
Facebook also has the WORST customer service in the business, bar none.
Don’t forget GeoCities!
I DOT NOW??
True fact: Facebook is safer than New Orleans.
Safety and security online is achieved by the same process as it is in real life – watch where you’re going, what you’re doing and who is around you.
The bottom line is common sense. Duh!
I personally think that everything went downhill when facebook decoupled from college e-mails. I understand that they did it to expand their user base, but it’s no longer even a semi-closed network, even though users still see it that way. We’re going to see many more problems like this in the future.
people are so gullible {seesmic_video:{”url_thumbnail”:{”value”:”http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/snpM9jQAaM_th1.jpg”}”title”:{”value”:”people are so gullible ”}”videoUri”:{”value”:”http://www.seesmic.com/video/iYLJHjS1sK”}}}
I am also concerned to hear that Facebook is selling users personal information to market researchers????? This certainly proves that it is wiser to put a business model to bring in revenue in place before the millions of users sign up. Then these issues can be addressed transparently & effectively.
check out EnetBaron.com
check out EnetBaron.com
Myspace looks at every photo? Yah right. Try uploading porn. Nobody ever removes it.
security in technology does not have anything to do with the sex offender violations.
this is a behavioral problem.
facebook has a responsibility to weed out violators of the community manifesto on privacy/individual usage rights.
The Myspace reviewing all uploaded content bit has perplexed me – aren’t they concerned about losing their DMCA copyright infringement safe harbor? Right and ability to control, anyone?
check out EnetBaron.com
check out EnetBaron.com
Anyone who uses Facebook and thinks it is a safe haven is very naive. Most people post that I know don’t put up questionable videos/photos etc, although some people do. I think giving up as much information your willing to let anyone in the world know about you is the best way to a “safe” person facebook.
kkkk dude……