FacebookLive Killings            Thejustification of this assignment is to consider if Facebook has a legal orethical duty to rescue a crime victim. Suggestions will be made along with considerationon three (3) ways that online social media platforms can be more considerateand meticulous with their assessment of the type of subject matter that appearon their sites. Included is a suggestion of two (2) safeguards that socialmedia platforms including Facebook should implement to avert acts of violencefrom being broadcasted. This work will discuss whether Facebook has an EthicsOfficer or Oversight Committee, whether these positions exists, and their keyfunctions.

If these committee positions do not exist discussion on whether theyshould create these roles. Lastly, this paper will discuss two (2) changesFacebook should implement to suggest a stronger ethical use of their socialmedia platform. Legal or Ethical Duty to Rescue a CrimeVictim            In the matter of rescuing a crimevictim Facebook is not legally liable.  Despite not being legally liable, it ishowever an ethical duty to report a crime. Included in Facebook’s communitystandards are keeping the subscribers safe. The company does not excuse anytype of disorderly activities. Facebook alerts local and federal lawenforcement when there is indication of harm or threats to the safety of the greatercommunity. Facebook establishes their ethical and moral ideals by supporting inmonitoring and controlling the posting of hostile content.

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Facebook encourages membersto report any content they have observed on Facebook posts, including FacebookLive, which can be considered life threatening. Facebook has one of thelargest, if not the largest, social footprints. Leadership has envisioned theFacebook community having purpose to assist others in becoming connected innumerous ways to the global communities. Facebook has never encouraged the elevationof self-injury, suicide, no violence no matter the ratings. There is partnershipwith several organizations to support the Facebook community through counselingduring adverse circumstances. One law applicable law protecting the greaterFacebook community are Good Samaritan Laws falling under the category ofvolunteer protection laws. After several instances of teens encouraging peersto do self-harm in the news, Facebook has also banned information and thecommunication of encouragement and promotion of self-mutilation and eatingdisorders. When there are posts that reveal a person’s identity affected bysuch issues Facebook will remove the comments (“Community standards |Facebook”, 2017).

Three Ways Social Media Platforms Can BeMore Proactive and Thorough With Their Review of Content            Facebookcan be proactive and thorough with their review of the types of content thatappears on their sites by abiding to a code of conduct. Facebook provides highsecurity to protect its users and their data while using their site. There issecure browsing. Encryption of messages and posts are implemented to preventother users’ access unless they have permission. Facebook sets a priority ineliminating spam, the contacting people with undesired data.

There are steps tosecure the Facebook account. Suggestions are made such as changing the currentpassword, contacting a the help center if the account has been hacked, and sendingout alerts to inform when someone is attempting to log in from an unrecognizabledevice or web browser. The alerts provide information on the device being usedto attempt logging in as well as  location.Proactively, the policies of Facebook advises users of things not allowed whichinclude nudity or sexually suggestive content, hate speech, credible threats orattacks on individuals or groups, content of excessive violence, and deceptiveprofiles (“Community standards | Facebook”, 2017). Facebook mustprovide publicly their Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. This includesinformation of their service terms for the users of the site.

Updates areprovided to users of the site to notify them of changes to the policies andguidelines on the Site Governance Page. Violation of the Statement of Rights willpossibly lead to the deletion of part or all access to Facebook (“Terms ofService”, 2017).Safeguards Social Media Platforms ShouldUse to Prevent Broadcasting of Acts of Violence            Safeguardsthat Facebook and other social media platforms should put into place to preventacts of violence from being broadcasted should consider continual monitoring ofthe data posted.

This can be done through the implementation of software todetect and deletion of activities associated to violence. The governmentcensorship should be enforced to prevent access to violence (“It’s AboutHuman Rights: Social Media Platforms Must Safeguard Citizen-GeneratedContent”, 2017). Removal of graphic images shared to promote violence shouldbe included in the monitoring process (“Community standards |Facebook”, 2017).  Ethics Officer or Oversight Committee            Throughresearch there is an Oversight Committee for Facebook. This committeerepresents the interest of the Facebook community and provides the ethic lawsand rules of regulation of the company. The purpose of the Oversight Committeeis to enforce the ethic laws and guidelines of the Community Standards.

Thecommittee investigates complaints and violations and offers constructivecriticism in resolving issues through ethics training. The Oversight Committeehas the power to administer penalties when the rules of regulation andcommunity standards are abused (“Ethics and Oversight | Commissions andCommittees”, 2017).Through research Facebook does not have an EthicsOfficer. There has been an increase in the trending of bogus news on Facebook.Facebook has asked for assistance, according to the Poynter Institute’sInternational Fact Checking Network, in filtering fraudulent information.

Facebook should hire an Ethics Officer to help the Oversight Committee withdecision making. Facebook’s trending section was previously managed byindividuals but they were replaced by algorithms due to political controversy.The use of algorithms does not have the qualities of making ethical decisionsas an individual. Hiring a Chief Ethics Officer would help in the management ofthe Oversight Committee in decision making.

Filling this position woulddemonstrate the value they have for the Facebook community in being ethicallyresponsible (Heider, 2017).Changes Facebook Should Adopt to Encourage Ethical Use of Platforms            Thereshould be more concentration on the use of hate speech. These attacks aredirected towards individuals because of their race, ethnicity, national origin,religion, sexual orientation, sex, gender, gender identity, disabilities ordiseases. Careful monitoring should be practiced to eliminate this form of abusivecommunication.

Facebook removes abusive comments when detected. There should besanctions issued against individuals to the fullest extent of the law. Thepolicy of using authentic identity should be strictly enforced for the safetyof the users of Facebook.

There is a large amount of identity theft at present.Use of authentic identity is essential in the elimination of deceptivepractices such as cat fishing and hacking accounts. Facebook should monitorwhether the proper procedure is being used when one individual uses multipleprofiles and continue to remove profiles that are not genuine. Facebook shouldprovide extensive instruction for users to clarify when it is more appropriateto create a page instead of a profile. When there is a violation the individualshould be fined and reprimanded due to fraudulent intentions (“Communitystandards | Facebook”, 2017).    ConclusionFacebook is not legally responsible to rescue a crimevictim. There is an ethical duty to report a crime.

Facebook works with lawenforcement when there is evidence of physical harm or threats to the safety ofsociety. Facebook demonstrates their ethical and moral community standards byassisting in monitoring and controlling the outcome of life threateningsituations (“Community standards | Facebook”, 2017).   Facebook can be proactive and thorough withtheir review of the types of content that appears on their sites by abiding toa code of conduct. Facebook provides high security to protect its users andtheir data while using their site. There is secure browsing. Encryption ofmessages and posts are implemented to prevent other users’ access unless theyhave permission.

Facebook sets a priority in eliminating spam, the contactingpeople with undesired data. Facebook must provide publicly their Statement ofRights and Responsibilities. This includes information of their service termsfor the users of the site (“Terms of Service”, 2017). Safeguards that Facebook and other socialmedia platforms should put into place to prevent acts of violence from beingbroadcasted should consider continual monitoring of the data posted. Thegovernment censorship should be enforced to prevent access to violence(“It’s About Human Rights: Social Media Platforms Must SafeguardCitizen-Generated Content”, 2017). Facebook should hire anEthics Officer to help the Oversight Committee with decision making. Throughresearch Facebook does not have an Ethics Officer. There has been an increasein the trending of bogus news on Facebook.

Hiring a Chief Ethics Officer wouldhelp in the management of the Oversight Committee in decision making. Fillingthis position would demonstrate the value they have for the Facebook communityin being ethically responsible (Heider, 2017). The purpose of the OversightCommittee is to enforce the ethic laws and guidelines of the CommunityStandards. The committee investigates complaints and violations and offersconstructive criticism in resolving issues through ethics training. TheOversight Committee has the power to administer penalties when the rules ofregulation and community standards are abused (“Ethics and Oversight |Commissions and Committees”, 2017).There should be moreconcentration on the use of hate speech. There should be sanctions issuedagainst individuals to the fullest extent of the law.

The policy of usingauthentic identity should be strictly enforced for the safety of the users ofFacebook. Use of authentic identity is essential in the elimination ofdeceptive practices such as cat fishing and hacking accounts. When there is aviolation the individual should be fined and reprimanded due to fraudulentintentions (“Community standards | Facebook”, 2017).

  

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