Facebook in futile attempt to block perverts from Graph Searching for teens

[silicon_toad2000]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/02/15/facebook_graph_search_young_people/

Facebook openly admits that it can't always be certain someone is the age they say they are. Policing the identities of 1 billion people online is a massive task and not one that is actually enforced by Facebook, given that it doesn't request - for example - copies of someone's passport or driving licence when they sign up to the site.

In other words, there are no controls in place to prevent a male adult from claiming to be a 14-year-old girl who attends a local school. He could then quite easily befriend kids on the network and then use Graph Search for online grooming purposes.

Facebook has an age restriction of 13 for the site, but many kids under that age are understood to be connected to the network. All of this makes it even more surprising that Graph Search - which relies heavily on revealing information to friends-of-friends - isn't limited to being an adults-only playpen.

If you are the resident computer guy/gal in your family, make sure you offer to help your family members with their facebook privacy settings or send them links such as below so they can learn.

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/11/the-total-facebook-privacy-guide/

[White Stripes]

best thing to do with facebook is block it at the firewall...