Alaskla/123RFParents, get ready to get some advice from a rather … unexpected source.
On Tuesday, Facebook’s head of global safety, Antigone Davis, published a blog post announcing the debut of Facebook Parents Portal. It’s a new page that promises “new resources for parents on Facebook,” with the goal of fostering “conversations among parents and their children about staying safe online.”
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While the Facebook user base is starting to skew a bit older (a plurality of Facebookers are between the ages of 25 and 34), there are still plenty of young folks using the social media site to connect with their friends. As such, Facebook hopes to keep both its main user base and their children safe and satisfied with their user experience.
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“Keeping you and your information safe is at the core of everything we do,” Davis wrote. “Whether you have a personal account or your teen does, we’ve compiled some basic information and tips to help you get the most out of your experience and help your child navigate theirs.” Included in the new resources page is a guide to Facebook, a number of parenting tips around how to have a “successful conversation with your child about online safety,” as well as expert advice, which promises to connect parents with “online safety experts from around the world who offer resources for parents.”
And these aren’t just text-based resources. Rather, Facebook has created a number of videos for your viewing pleasure, which are available in 55 languages around the world. “We hope that you find these resources useful and that Facebook helps you and your children connect to the people and things that matter to you most,” Davis concluded.
So if you’re worried about how your children are spending time online, this may just be the new Facebook page you’ve been waiting for.
Australia will force Facebook and Google to share ad revenue with local media
Australia will demand Facebook and Google share advertising revenue with local media companies, according to a report in Reuters.
The move will be an attempt to loosen the tech giants’ grip on the media market in the country and will make Australia one of the first countries to force tech companies to pay for media content they use.
Facebook’s new Coronavirus Community Hub on Messenger provides tips, resources
Facebook launched the Coronavirus Community Hub on Messenger, which aims to provide people with tips and resources regarding the new coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, while preventing the propagation of misinformation.
In a blog post announcing the new community hub, VP of Messenger Stan Chudnovsky revealed that the messaging service has seen increased usage as people keep in touch with their loved ones. Chudnovsky said that 70% more people are participating in group video calls, and the time that people spend in group video calls has doubled.
I paid Meta to ‘verify’ me — here’s what actually happened
In the fall of 2023 I decided to do a little experiment in the height of the “blue check” hysteria. Twitter had shifted from verifying accounts based (more or less) on merit or importance and instead would let users pay for a blue checkmark. That obviously went (and still goes) badly. Meanwhile, Meta opened its own verification service earlier in the year, called Meta Verified.
Mostly aimed at “creators,” Meta Verified costs $15 a month and helps you “establish your account authenticity and help[s] your community know it’s the real us with a verified badge." It also gives you “proactive account protection” to help fight impersonation by (in part) requiring you to use two-factor authentication. You’ll also get direct account support “from a real person,” and exclusive features like stickers and stars.
