BBC Breakfast had Jim Gamble from CEOP (the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) on today, talking about online safety. He was quite demanding, saying that sites hosting online communities must engage with CEOP. To talk to them and to post the CEOP report button on their sites. Only Bebo is using it thus far; Facebook and others are turning a blind eye to his pleas.

Now I am the first to admit that help should be available easily and in a timely manner, but this might not be the right way.

Just imagine having a button to push to complain about being put on hold every time you call your bank or utilities companies. Imagine how many requests that would generate.

But that would be a mere drop in the ocean. Introducing the button to every social media site today would result in a huge number of requests that would be quite impossible to handle. Let’s first see how CEOP deals with the requests coming in from Bebo and then campaign to open the floodgates.

Of course, Jim is right about getting together, collaborating to address the problem of online safety. It is a serious problem, as Ashleigh Hall’s parents would no doubt agree.

Getting your message out on the web is very easy these days. Scarily easy. As Gordon Brown will surely tell you, use it carefully or it will backfire. The same goes for businesses. I would urge everyone to answer a few simple questions before going head on out into the unknown.

Have you got the energy? Social media is all about interacting and participating. If you do not have at least an hour for the keyboard a day, every day, don’t go there. If you start it, you do have to keep on doing it. I am urging everyone to start, but do realise that you are starting a commitment.

Is your target group online? If they are, can you reach them? Do you have anything (that they want to hear) to say? Do they have anything (that you want to hear) to share?
Do you know to do it? It is more about reading than writing. More about following than followers. More about giving than taking.

Finally, do you know what you are getting into? Managing a relationship with a wide variety of people from all walks of life can be all-consuming. It gets downright personal. And when your voice is out there, it is out there.

It can backfire. Chances are that your message is misinterpreted. Something that you meant in good faith was taken the wrong way. This is something to consider carefully, especially in business. Falling out with your partners, business associates and suppliers can all happen through a single post. Playing the keyboards is not easy for everyone and the consequences of doing it wrong can be dire.