Facebook 101

Bullying
Background
We believe in addressing safety issues proactively. Building a trusted environment is fundamental to our mission and to ensuring a positive experience for people who use our site. Building a Trusted Environment
Nothing is more important to Facebook than keeping people safe. We believe online safety is a shared responsibility, which is why we partner with organizations globally to create the most effective safety environment possible. Facebook has a real-name culture where people associate their actions with their true names and identities in front of their friends and family, which leads to greater accountability. It is a violation of our policies to use a fake name or operate under a false identity, and we encourage people to report anyone they think is doing this. We provide a structured and consistent environment with clear rules and prominent, convenient reporting buttons. We also leverage the hundreds of millions of people on Facebook to keep an eye out for offensive or potentially dangerous content. We encourage them to report that content to us, and to discuss it with parents, teachers, and others in the community who can help. We recognize the harm that can result if people are bullied online, so we take steps to reduce the likelihood of it happening and to diminish its impact. We strive to promote an environment where everyone can connect and share comfortably. People on Facebook have pride of ownership in their experience. They speak up when they see an injustice, and in most cases we get reports immediately after inappropriate behavior has occurred. In March 2011, Facebook pioneered a tool called Social Reporting, which allows people to address both the online and offline impacts of bullying. Social reporting enables people to report problematic content to Facebook, so that it can be removed immediately, and at the same time report the content to trusted friends or adults who may understand the offline context of the situation and be able to assist. This tool helps people communicate about and resolve issues privately and quickly. While the tool is designed for anyone, teens find this system especially useful they are 10% more likely than adults to use it. More information: facebook.com/report.

Raising Awareness Through Partnerships

Convened a Safety Advisory Board in 2009 comprised of Childnet International, Connect Safely, the Family Online Safety Institute, National Network to End Domestic Violence, and WiredSafety. Participated in White House and Education Department bullying prevention summits and hosted a September backto-school safety event for members of Congress and staff. Convened a Network of Support comprised of GLAAD, GLSEN, HRC, PFLAG, the Trevor Project, and MTV to address unique challenges faced by the LGBT community. Partnered with Time Warner to create the Stop Bullying: Speak Up social pledge app, which has received nearly 1 million likes (facebook.com/stopbullyingspeakup). Sponsored initiatives with PACER Centers National Center for Bullying Prevention, MTVs A Thin Line campaign, the BBC, the National Crime Prevention Council and others.

Robust Educational Resources

Redesigned our Family Safety Center in April 2011 (facebook.com/safety) with new multimedia resources tailored to parents, educators, teens, and law enforcement. Created a Safety Page (facebook.com/fbsafety), now with over 650,000 fans, to provide dynamic safety content directly to peoples News Feeds. Commissioned downloadable guides for educators and guidance counselors on best practices for using Facebook in schools. These are available in our Family Safety Center.

Easy to Use Reporting Tools

Its easy to flag inappropriate behavior using Report links on virtually every Facebook page, and users can block people who post hurtful content. Our professional investigators work around the clock to review urgent reports, usually within 24 hours, and escalate them to law enforcement as needed. Reports of harassment receive a quick response and we ensure that high-priority reports are addressed first.

About Facebook
Founded in February 2004, Facebooks mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. Anyone can sign up for Facebook and interact with the people they know in a trusted environment. Facebook is a privately held company headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif.

Updated: Nov. 2011