Users of Microsoft’s Messenger email service will be able to report suspected sexual predators directly to the police at the click of a mouse.

In an attempt to protect the 11 million users of the service from potential abusers, the software giant has struck up a partnership with the UK government-backed Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre.

Microsoft will add a “report abuse” icon to Messenger that will link any users worried about their anonymous internet buddies directly to online police services.

Set up earlier this year to provide a single point of contact for the public, law enforcers and the communications industry to report the targeting of children online, CEOP offers advice and information to parents and potential victims of abuse and works with police forces around the world to protect children.

“This is part of our ‘safer by design’ plan and strategy which is designed to make predators have a lack of confidence because of what is going on behind the scenes while they are online,” said Jim Gamble, the chief executive of CEOP.

“This is a landmark step by Microsoft. They could have got £20,000 in ad revenue for the space they have given up to ensure a higher level of user safety and we hope others will follow them.”

Read more about it at Bink.nu