Facebook backtracks on child panic button

After Home Secretary sends in the heavies

Social noodling-about site, Facebook has agreed to install the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre's panic button after a visit from the Home Secretary Alan Johnson.

The site miffed the authorities demanding it install the button following worrisome stories of children being groomed by on-line paedophiles and the tragic death of 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall.

The CLICKCEOP button was launched back in 2006 as a tool for young people to use whenever they think they may be in danger online. 

It has already been adopted by many sites including MSN Live Messenger in the UK and AOL BEBO. Facebook claimed it was safe enough as it was but has relented after being leaned on by the Government.

Jim Gamble chief executive of the CEOP Centre said recently, "We have been asking social networking providers for too long to do the right thing."

Facebook now has has "no objection" to installing the button on its site, Johnson said.