Mr X cranky about latest Facebook outrage
South Australian independent senator Nick Xenophon has renewed calls for the creation of a government Online Ombudsman to respond to public concerns about offensive or illegal postings on social networking sites.And he is cranky with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for not following through on the Online Ombudsman proposal after initially making supportive comments out the idea.
Senator Xenophon says the issue had been raised again after a Facebook page had been created mocking the death of a teenage girl killed in a car accident a week ago in Queensland.
He has asked the recently established Joint Select Committee on Cyber Safety to look specifically at issues related to offensive materials on social networking sites and the creation on the ombudsman position. The committee was set up a week ago to access online risks to kids.
He said the position of Online Ombudsman should respond to public complaints about offensive social networking material and to be an public advocate and to lobby web 2.0 companies to immediately remove such material.
Senator Xenophon says sites like Facebook have been too slow to respond to public complaints about specific sites. He says the latest outrage, involving the death of Kirstin Deguara, had caused friends and family unnecessary anguish.
While Facebook had removed a page lampooning the teenager's death after numerous requests, another had replaced it within a day and Facebook needed to be alerted again to the problem. Senator Xenophon first called for the establishment of an Ombudsman after the sites featured offensive postings concerning murdered Bundaberg girl Trinity Bates a month ago.At that time the Prime Minister had made broadly supportive statements about the proposal, but the Government had gone silent since.
Senator Xenophon said social networking sites, though useful, presented unique social challenges and problems – not least issues of cyber-bullying about kids.
"Hopefully an Ombudsman with the full backing of the Australian government might have more sway over these overseas companies."
He said sick and offensive postings were symptomatic of a broader issue concerning social networking sites.
"If you wouldn't say it to somebody's face, you shouldn't say it on Facebook," Senator Xenophon said
Senator Xenophon says the issue had been raised again after a Facebook page had been created mocking the death of a teenage girl killed in a car accident a week ago in Queensland.
He has asked the recently established Joint Select Committee on Cyber Safety to look specifically at issues related to offensive materials on social networking sites and the creation on the ombudsman position. The committee was set up a week ago to access online risks to kids.
He said the position of Online Ombudsman should respond to public complaints about offensive social networking material and to be an public advocate and to lobby web 2.0 companies to immediately remove such material.
Senator Xenophon says sites like Facebook have been too slow to respond to public complaints about specific sites. He says the latest outrage, involving the death of Kirstin Deguara, had caused friends and family unnecessary anguish.
While Facebook had removed a page lampooning the teenager's death after numerous requests, another had replaced it within a day and Facebook needed to be alerted again to the problem. Senator Xenophon first called for the establishment of an Ombudsman after the sites featured offensive postings concerning murdered Bundaberg girl Trinity Bates a month ago.At that time the Prime Minister had made broadly supportive statements about the proposal, but the Government had gone silent since.
Senator Xenophon said social networking sites, though useful, presented unique social challenges and problems – not least issues of cyber-bullying about kids.
"Hopefully an Ombudsman with the full backing of the Australian government might have more sway over these overseas companies."
He said sick and offensive postings were symptomatic of a broader issue concerning social networking sites.
"If you wouldn't say it to somebody's face, you shouldn't say it on Facebook," Senator Xenophon said
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