Originally posted on 21/3/10
The proposed "panic" button for Facebook
If you're unaware of how Facebook works (although no-one is, since everyone seems to think it's > than Bebo, which it isn't) then you can post updates from your profile in the manner of Twitter but being able to play games. People are able to comment on this, as well as clicking a button to "like" said update. As every good needs an evil (see Yin/Yang, Jedi/Sith, Me/Coldplay), this should follow the youtube method of commenting and allow you to dislike as well. It doesn't, and while there are groups on Facebook trying to get new buttons (the sooner we get a That's What She Said button, the better), it'll never happen.
This week however, there have been new proposals, put forth by the Home Secretary no less. Quite why he should be commenting on a social networking site is beyond me, but he feels there should be a "panic" button that people can click to alert police of potential paedophiles. Stuff like this makes me want Anarchy in this country, because i'd only ever vote Labour, and if they have these kinds of muppets in office like Alan Johnson, then there's no hope really. Imagine the scene:
15 year old girl logs in
15 year old girl has one friend request
Friend request from 17 year old boy
Friend request added
*3 months*
15 year old girl agrees to meet up with 17 year old boy 300 miles away from where she lives without telling anyone
The two meet
17 year old turns out to be 31 year old guy
Guy rapes girl
Guy kills girl
Now, imagine it with a panic button
15 year old girl logs in
15 year old girl has one friend request
Friend request from 17 year old boy
Friend request added
*3 months*
15 year old girl agrees to meet up with 17 year old boy 300 miles away from where she lives without telling anyone
The two meet
17 year old turns out to be 31 year old guy
Guy rapes girl
Guy kills girl
No difference. And why? Because if there is a girl as stupid as the hypothetical one above, then she will be so starved of attention she will unquestioningly agree to meet up with this fellow, and not go near a panic button. This whole move smacks of shutting the door after the horse has buggared off, as people have inexplicably suffered the fate described above, and rather than actually try and educate people on how to know when they're in danger, the government have made a lovely cop-out. Besides, if you ask me, if you're dumb enough to meet up with someone in the manner posted above, then you deserve taken off this mortal coil before you cause a powercut by trying to slide down some power cables like Cole from inFamous.
If the button were to be placed there, then fantastic. It could well stop paedophiles, and save the lives of the great brainwashed, but as with anything on the internet, it will be used for nefarious purposes. Say you want to play a joke on a friend.... click! he's a paedo! Say you're one of those irritating girls who changes their best friends every week, click! your ex BFF's a paedo!
Quite rightly, Facebook has given the idea a resounding "naw," and will carry on about its business as normal. Who knows what the government will poke its nose into next. Whatever that is and whenever it comes, I hope i'll not be showing my under-developed breasts to some fat man having a cheeky trouser wank.
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