ReadWriteWeb

Last night, YouTube added a new filtering mechanism called "Safety Mode" to the popular video sharing website used by millions. This option allows you to filter out the sort of videos you may find offensive, whether that's those featuring adult content or violence or some other objectionable content. It will even filter out profanity from the YouTube comments.

Using the new setting found at the bottom of any YouTube video page, you can switch Safety Mode on or off. And while parents will certainly be tempted to do so in an attempt to enable parental control mechanisms for the site, they should be warned that even the least tech-savvy youngster can easily shut this new feature in a minute or less.

Social networking site Facebook has just announced the formation of the "Facebook Safety Advisory Board," a group of five Internet safety organizations that will council the company on all issues related to online safety. The board members will review Facebook's current safety-related procedures and documentation as well as make suggestions regarding best practices and other procedures. Although the company has sought council from many of the participating organizations in the past, this new board formalizes those relationships so Facebook can gather even more feedback as to how they can improve safety on their site.

When the President of the United States warns schoolchildren to watch what they say and do on Facebook, you know that we've got a problem...and it's not one limited to the U.S.'s borders, either. People everywhere are mindlessly over-sharing on the world's largest social network, without a second thought as to who's reading their posts or what effect it could have on them further down the road. For example, did you know that 30% of today's employers are using Facebook to vet potential employees prior to hiring? In today's tough economy, the question of whether to post those embarrassing party pics could now cost you a paycheck in addition to a reputation. (Keep that in mind when tagging your friends' photos, too, won't you?)

But what can be done? It's not like you can just quit Facebook, right? No - and you don't have to either. You just need to take a few precautions.

The Safe America Foundation, a national safety group working with the U.S. government, announced yesterday that text messaging, social networking sites, and Twitter could help families stay in touch in the wake of a disaster. Although Twitter hasn't always been known for its stability, in emergency situations when phone lines and other traditional communication avenues are down, social networking sites like it and others could turn into reliable backup methods for reaching loved ones.

Last July MySpace deleted the profiles of more than 29,000 registered sex offenders who had been using the social networking site. The sheer number of sex offenders using the site highlighted one of the biggest checks against MySpace: child safety. Numerous news reports over the past couple of years have painted the site as a hang out for sexual predators. This morning, MySpace aimed to put its problems behind it by announcing a new set of safety guidelines drafted in conjunction with 49 US state attorneys general.