NSPCC has called on the government to take action against Facebook after the social media company refused to remove video of a baby being immersed in water from its site.
It also said action must be taken against other social media sites because they have taken so little action on child safeguarding.
Wanless' letter was prompted by a video circulating on Facebook which shows a crying baby being repeatedly dunked in a bucket of water. NSPCC said this was child cruelty, but Facebook said it was called ‘baby yoga’ and does not breach its policies.
In a letter to Baroness Shields, minister for internet safety and security, and Ed Vaizey, minister for culture, Peter Wanless, chief executive of NSPCC, urged the government to convene a meeting with social media organisations to find out why little progress on improving safeguarding has been made by social media companies.
He said: “The NSPCC believes we have now reached the long overdue point where it is time for social networking sites to be held to account for the content on their sites and pay more attention to their safeguarding duties to protect children and young people, whether they are viewing the content or appearing in it.”
In February 2014 the government arranged a meeting with social media companies, including Facebook, but Wanless said: “There has been no substantial progress since then. We have just re-elected a new government and now is the time for a renewed mandate and focus.
"I strongly believe this matter is too serious to be allowed to continue so would urge you to reconvene a meeting of the relevant companies so we can at last get some decisive action."
Earlier this year the Children’s Charities Coalition for Internet Safety, which NSPCC is a member of, published a digital manifesto, which recommended that a body should be established that would have the power to force internet companies to be more transparent and accountable.
Wanless said: “Such a body or division should also be given the power to make legally binding orders requiring internet companies to take necessary and proportionate measures to safeguard children online. A global commitment to tackling this problem is also needed as too often the companies involved are based abroad.”
