Facebook has apparently made good with the New York State attorney general who has been investigating the site's response and handling of complaints as part of a child safety probe. As we reported last month, the attorney general of New York began investigating Facebook after receiving complaints that Facebook wasn't doing enough to protect users from sexual predators.
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo tells Reuters, “social networking sites, [are] popular among young people, have quickly gained members and appeal, but also act as a magnet for those who would prey on the young.”
As part of the settlement, Facebook will now begin responding to any complaint within 24 hours of being notified about inappropriate content — things like nudity, profanity or harassment. Facebook will then notify the complaining party of the steps it has taken within 72 hours.
The deal with Cuomo's office will also see Facebook taking on an independent examiner to monitor how well Facebook handles and responds to complaints.
Today's announcement doesn't mean Facebook is off the hook just yet. Investigations from the attorney general of New Jersey, as well as another from a group of attorneys general representing all 50 states, are still ongoing.
Similar charges and investigations have also dogged MySpace, which has since released software to help parents monitor their child's usage of the site.
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