BEBO

[Annie]

What is going on with this blog???

Web worries
Published: 19 January, 2007

Campbeltown police have received complaints about photographs and other items featuring Kintyre people, which have been listed on the BEBO webpage.

MORE IN THIS WEEK'S CAMPBELTOWN COURIER

[Beachcomber]

Not sure of any details. I'll have to ask my eldest daughter - she uses Bebo.

I did read the piece in the Courier that seemed to suggest that photos of people from Kintyre had been posted on the site. There was a comment from the Police that said to make sure you had people's permission before uploading photos.

Quite what its got to do with Campbeltown Police is beyond me, unless there's the suggestion of a crime involved.

As I understand the law in the UK, it's perfectly legal to take photos of anyone if they're in a public place or place to which the public have access, and equally legal to publish them however and wherever you like - both commercially and non-commercially. The laws of libel apply where captions or comments are attached.

A useful guide to photographers rights can be downloaded from http://www.sirimo.co.uk/ukpr.php/2004/11/19/uk_photographers_rights_guide.

[Annie]

Thanks! I was just curious as to, of all places, it ended up being a story in the Courier!

[Bobbie En Tejas]

I'm on Bebo..

Bebo has rules about posting certain things. People who post things to bring humiliation on other people, especially in compromising situations should be strung up. Its crossing the line. With You Tube and MySpace, combined with cell phones and digital cameras, I'm not sure how it can be controlled.

If anyone is on Bebo and sees me over there, drop a line! (Just don't take a picture)

[Beachcomber]

Bebo has rules about posting certain things. People who post things to bring humiliation on other people, especially in compromising situations should be strung up. Its crossing the line.

I think most people would agree with you, I would, that it's immoral to do that, but it probably ain't a crime.

If anyone knows the details behind this article then I'm sure we'd all like to hear them.

[Annie]

Yep! Curiosity was getting the better of me, I must admit!

[the phone girl]

bebo is a social network mostly used locally by young people. The problem with it is it is controlled outwith the uk and outwith our laws. There has been bullying and various other really nasty stuff - locally all involving under 16's. I created an account to monitor my daughter and you can browse other people's home pages and leave comments. Some "doctored" photos have been put on and nasty comments left by kids about kids. Not enough parents are monitoring what their kids are saying. If you browse some of the home pages it paints a very depressing picture of what our kids are up to. I know it has been a problem in the grammer school and that the primary schools are monitoring it, although you are supposed to be over 13 to have an account. The amount of personal info the kids put on is frightening and the photographs all identify them. I can see how some parents might not want pictures of their kids splashed about the internet coupled with the information of where they go and when - where they live and what hobbies they have. The accounts can be made accessable only to direct friends most dont seem to chose this option. People they dont know or Randomers as they call them can leave a comment and get to know the kids. You connect to a friend by clicking on the link and then you can link to their friends and to their friends ad infinitum. I was concerned and then I got pointed to a much, much worse site that a lot of local kids had profiles on. Im not easily shocked but it was extremly shocking. Bebo is milder. Just. Really tho' anyone who has a kid with a bebo account should have their own profile on and make their kid add them as a friend or ban them off the site just to keep them safe. Its up to parents to police this site.

[amron]

I agree with the phone girl, I don,t think that enough parents monitor the Bebo site to see what the content of the posting etc are.
There are children on the site who are only 6 or 7 years old you put in a fake date of birth and thats you on the site.
There have been quite a few serious problems in Primary schools regarding Bebo as most parents think that it is a school site but it is not.

If your child has a Bebo account especially if they are under 13 years you should be monitoring that account.

[Beachcomber]

bebo is a social network mostly used locally by young people. ....... Its up to parents to police this site.

Thanks, that's very sensible advice. I'll look at setting up an account myself. Presumably we can flag our accounts as being 'parents'?

[Bobbie En Tejas]

All I'm thinking is, if a 6 year old can con his parents into thinking Bebo is a school site, that kid's going to have a great time when he's a teenager.

[dgraves]

bebo is a social network mostly used locally by young people. ....... Its up to parents to police this site.

Thanks, that's very sensible advice. I'll look at setting up an account myself. Presumably we can flag our accounts as being 'parents'?

Scary! I know that I'd be monitoring every site my kids were on if they were very young. I'm glad mine are grown. It is a nightmare for those with young children.

[amron]

bebo is a social network mostly used locally by young people. ....... Its up to parents to police this site.

Thanks, that's very sensible advice. I'll look at setting up an account myself. Presumably we can flag our accounts as being 'parents'?

Scary! I know that I'd be monitoring every site my kids were on if they were very young. I'm glad mine are grown. It is a nightmare for those with young children.

It is not always so easy when kids are using internet services in the library, friends houses etc. That is why it is important to monitor your childs own profile. It might not make you popular mind you.

The information that some of these kids are giving out is frightening.

I think that most parents will be shocked at what they see when they enter that site.

I am more concerned that there is another site that the phone girl mentioned. I was unaware of it.

[Annie]

What a scary time we live in these days. Hell, when I was a child all we had was Etch-A-Sketch's! LOL

[Bobbie En Tejas]

We've heard some of our stories here, Annie... You weren't etch-a-sketching!

[Annie]

HAHAHAHA! Busted my cover, darnit!