Social networking site, Facebook, is to appear in US courts accused of not protecting younger users from sexual predators.

New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has subpoenaed Facebook, alleging that it is not doing enough to protect pre-teens and teens from sexual advances and content. He also alleges that Facebook failed repeatedly to respond to serious user complaints. Facebook currently has 42 million active users.

Investigators from Cuomo's office conducted a number of undercover tests of Facebook's safety controls and procedures. Posing as underage users, the investigators were “repeatedly solicited by adult sexual predators on Facebook and could easily access a wide range of pornographic images and videos.”

Posing as young users and also their concerned parents the investigators complained, only to find that Facebook support either did not respond at all, or was very slow in responding

“My office is concerned that Facebook's promise of a safe website is not consistent with its performance in policing its site and responding to complaints,” Cuomo said. “Parents have a right to know what their children will encounter on a website that is aggressively marketed as safe.”

While undercover as 12 and 14-year users, the investigators received repeated sexual solicitations from adults, including messages like: “u look too hot....... can i c u online (webcam)?” and ““do you like sex?”.

Facebook has yet to respond to the allegations.