Underage and On Facebook
By Kerri Winick, GalTime.com
Like many of us, fifth-grader Annika likes to log on to Facebook. She does everything from chat with family and friends to post pictures and play games. The problem? Technically, Annika shouldn't be on the social network. That's because she's just 11 years old.
On sites like Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, users are required to be 13 or older, but millions of kids are finding a way to join the digital revolution early, some as early as 8 or 9 years old!
But Larry Magid of ConnectSafely.org says the minimum age is set at 13 because of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
"It requires websites that are marketing to children, or that are aiming towards children, to require parental consent. The reason why sites like Facebook and YouTube don't try to get parental consent? It would just be unwieldy. Consider, literally, the hundreds of millions of people on the site," says Magid.
Related: Toddlers and Social Media: How Young is Too Young?
So, how are these kids faking it? They're lying about their age, virtually creating a "fake ID." Some log on behind their parents' backs. Others ask permission first, then work with mom or dad to set up a profile.
In fact, two new studies confirm the trend of underage users. The first from McAfee showed that 37% of 10 to 12-year-olds are on Facebook. If you take into account all social networking sites, that number shoots up to 50%. In the second survey, 17% of parents said they had no problem with a pre-teen child using a social media site and 11% admitted to using them on behalf of their young kids (Liberty Mutual's Responsibility Project).
Rather than risk Annika creating an un-monitored account, Ciaran decided to hold her digital hand. She did the same for her older daughter, Marly, who is now 14.
"My feeling is this: You would not just give your kid the keys to the car and ask them to drive at 16. I don't want to give her the keys to the Internet at 13. I want to be there beside her, and help her to responsibly learn social media," says Ciaran.
Related: Should You Friend Your Kids on Facebook?
A lot of parents have the same opinion, and that worries parenting experts like Dr. Susan Newman, author of 'The Book of No.' She says that lying not only sends the wrong message, it may set children up for a future of fibbing.
"You're really teaching your children it's OK to tell small lies. Your child is going to think, oh, this is not a big deal. My mother set me up an underage Facebook account, so I can tell her I'm not really drinking, or I didn't really smoke much marijuana," says Dr. Newman.
Dr. Newman also worries that children under 13 may not have the Internet savvy to avoid potential threats, like predators and cyberbullying.
"You may have an isolated child who is very mature. That isn't to say as a parent you want to break the rules. A parent's job is to say no, and this is a place to do it," she says.
We reached out to Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. Only Facebook responded, saying it recognizes there is no "perfect solution" when it comes to age verification on the web. When Facebook discovers an underage account, it deletes that account as quickly as possible.
Still, Magid says he can understand why many parents help their underage children. If you're one of them, he suggests laying down some ground rules. Make sure that the privacy settings are on max, make sure you are their "friend" online, and know your child's account password. Finally, keep the lines of communication open.
Related: Doctors Warn Parents About 'Facebook Depression'
"You need to frequently check in on them and talk to them about safety and privacy," says Magid.
Ciaran also monitors friend requests and limits computer time. She says her daughters wouldn't be online otherwise.
"Because they know I'm watching, and because they know they have that guidance, they're less likely to do something that's seriously damaging," she says.
For social networking safety tips and advice, log on to CONNECT-SAFELY-DOT-ORG.
What do you think is the appropriate age to get on a social media network? Do you/would you let your kids log on before they turn 13?
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