Cruel intentions abound

Having stolen the spotlight from MySpace in 2007, Facebook now faces both the spoils and the critiques of high-profile fame, including pressure over sexual predators.

"It's become Facebook's cross to bear," said Josh Bernoff of Forrester Research, who believes — somewhat melodramatically — the site's future depends on its ability to address the predator issue, reports MediaPost.

Last month, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed a subpoena against the sizzling social networking site over the ease with which sexual predators can reportedly harass young members.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Anne Milgram of New Jersey also issued a subpoena, demanding that by Friday, Facebook must turn over data on any profiles that may have been created by registered sex offenders.

Brand Keys reports that parental concern over online safety has leaped 30 percent since last year. Some states, including Virginia, are beginning to require that public schools teach students about protecting themselves over the internet.

Early this year a number of families in multiple states attempted to sue MySpace over possible "child assaults" online. That same month, MySpace reported it would implement software on children's profiles so that parents could see when changes were made to their pages.