Young Facebook Users Get Protection From ClickCEOP

West Mercia Police is giving its backing to a new initiative to protect children when they use the popular Facebook social networking site. 

For the first time all Facebook users in the UK -especially those aged between 13 - 18 years - can have direct access to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre's advice and reporting centre - ClickCEOP - direct from a button on their own Facebook homepage.

Access to the ClickCEOP button will be provided via an application that users can add or bookmark so that it appears on their own Facebook profile page as not only a constant source of help and reassurance for them but also as a strong visual signal to their friends, family and others that they are in control online.

Welcoming the Facebook application, West Mercia Police's Head of Public Protection Detective Superintendent Martin Lakeman said: "Working with the local children's safeguarding boards, West Mercia Police has tirelessly campaigned to raise awareness around the use of the internet and the risks posed whilst online.

"The ClickCEOP button is another positive step forward in protecting children and young persons online. It enables users to report suspected activity such as grooming and inappropriate sexual behaviour to specialist trained investigators within CEOP.

"The safeguarding boards continue to work hard to ensure that children and young people can enjoy the fantastic benefits of the internet in a safe way, whilst raising the awareness of parents of some of the risks online.

"West Mercia is proud of its work in this area and recently won a regional safeguarding award for its work in this challenging arena."

When surfing the internet we would encourage people to remember the SMART rules:-

S is for SAFE - keep safe by not giving out personal information such as your email address, phone number, home address or school photos.

M is for MEETING - don't agree to meet up with someone you have only been chatting to online and you don't know in the real world. Make sure you have a parent or carer's permission and they can come along to the meeting.

A is for ACCEPTING - don't accept emails, pictures, files or texts from people you don't know or trust. This could lead to problems as they may contain viruses or nasty messages.

R is for RELIABLE - information you find on the internet may not be true, people can lie about who they are.

T is for TELL - tell a parent, carer or trusted adult if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried or if you know or someone you know is being bullied online.

• Facebook members can find out more and install the ClickCEOP application by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/clickceop/ 

Issued: Monday 12 July 2010