Deterrence is a powerful tool, adding a police officer in any public location suddenly turns everything a notch safer than it originally was. Indeed, if there is presence of the law, then people are more likely to behave properly.
This however is not exactly the same as the internet. Having a police officer watch over your shoulder in a net café is certainly disturbing, but it would be efficient in discouraging users from engaging in undesirable online activities. However, a simple panic button on a profile page hardly has the same effect.
Simply put, people are all too willing to cause trouble and antagonize authorities on the internet thanks to the veil of anonymity. It is far too easy for many users to hide their IP addresses and cause trouble than it is to track down a suspected cyber bully. Still, the police believe that it is imperative that Facebook install a panic button in order to scare off potential abusers.
According to Facebook, the current text link is already effective and a button would simply be over polishing the feature. It’s a great point, adding in the button would make it look like “press me and see what happens” feature instead of being an actual safety measure (if will definitely inspire plenty of false reports). Second, users will be confused and intimidated at the new button.
The bottom line here is that if the police want to take action, then they should start holding seminars for parents on how to educate and discipline children so that the younger generation will grow up aware and able to handle the many dangers of the online world. There is only so much that Facebook can be blamed for, and while the motives of the police are commendable, their efforts could be better spent.
Get to know more about the news regarding the need for a panic button on Facebook at the Telegraph UK.
Tags: Facebook, online-safety, Social-networking