The Red Hood Project is a movement for consumer protection for children online and was founded following the death of Amanda Todd. The Project is bringing to light the dozens of media reports documenting “the increasing victimization of children by blackmail, rape, abduction and even murder.” All because the industry that allows children to use their product didn’t secure their data.
Amanda was blackmailed by an adult predator who easily found her name, address, friends and family, all through social media. He could reach her at any time. Unable to escape, she took her own life at age 15. Amanda wasn’t alone and more children are falling prey every day.
Law enforcement and children’s protection agencies now identify social media as a serious threat to child safety. Today I’m reaching out to a mother whose daughter’s life has been destroyed after a recording of her was posted to Facebook. The person with the video threatened to post it and “tag” her in it if she didn’t have sex with him.
My response to that story is available in today’s Metro Halifax.
The Red Hood Project calls for the social media industry to control and protect children’s privacy online by:
- Age verification of child users
- Disabled location and web browser tracking
- Default privacy settings for children and youth
- Firewall protection for children’s data online
Founding partner RAFFI Cavoukian is known to millions simply as Raffi, a renowned Canadian singer once called “the most popular children’s entertainer in the western world” (Washington Post). In his three decade music career, Raffi refused all commercial endorsement offers and never directly advertised or marketed to children. He is a passionate advocate for a child’s right to live free of commercial exploitation. He is the founder and chair of the Centre for Child Honouring, and is currently writing a book on the need to reform social media.
Please take the time to read over more about the Red Hood Project and sign their Open Letter to Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
“Facebook has become a brand feared by parents, when it should be one they can trust.”
Then share the site with everyone you know: