Social networking sites safeguards needed

MANILA, Philippines - Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo proposed the “urgent incorporation of Facebook Etiquette and Safeguards” in subjects taught in public schools, “putting emphasis on the role of teachers to intervene in assuring safety in surfing various social networking sites.” The lawmaker made the call after a 44-year-old human resources officer of a business process outsourcing firm was stabbed dead allegedly by her boyfriend she met on Facebook. He noted that last week a New York senator was forced to resign because of a sex scandal he himself set off in Twitter. “The teachers have to do it (teach safeguards) since many parents of school children do not have active participation in their children’s interests in social networking activities,” Quimbo said. “Worse, many parents, particularly from poor families, have zero exposure to the Internet. How do you expect them to guide their children on the appropriate use of these social networking sites when they don’t know what the Internet is all about,” he said. Quimbo said while there is no stopping the advancing technology’s influence on children, the government needs to step in ensuring that new communications and social networking technologies are used safely.