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Filed under: In The News, Tween Culture
Is your tween sneaking onto Facebook? Credit: Toby Talbot, AP
OK, so maybe you find it comforting to see reports claiming Facebook bans 20,000 kids younger than 13 every day from friending the world on its popular website. But, let's face it, where there's a will, there's a way.Parents who have been unfriended by their own kids know there are creative means of still finding out what Junior is posting.
And, if we can do it, teens certainly can navigate the inner sanctums of online security, too.
Truth be told, the creators of Facebook admitted recently that, despite efforts to enforce the strict 13 years or older age restrictions, some children cleverly slip under the radar, the Daily Telegraph in Australia reports.
"There are people who lie," Facebook's chief privacy adviser Mozelle Thompson tells the Australian Federal Parliament's cyber-safety committee, according to the newspaper. "There are people who are under 13 accessing Facebook."
But, for parents who read the fine print in Facebook's terms, it is clearly stated: "You will not use Facebook if you are under 13."
Problem is, are kids reading the fine print?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 2)
3-28-2011 @ 11:44PM
Deb said...Hell, I know parents that have signed their under 13 kids up for Facebook. It's not the kids doing it, it's the parents!!!
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3-24-2011 @ 9:59AM
SirGalton said...Facebook does an excellent job of deleting accounts, but it says something about parents when they have to boot 20,000 kids a day. The funny thing is, is the parents know their child uses facebook, and if you don't, you need to pay attention to what your kids are doing on the web. Too many parents do not know how to say No to their child, when it comes to social technology/media, including the internet and cell phones. They forget that these services are privileges and not rights, and need to be monitored strictly. Many parents feel their child has a "right" to be on facebook since everyone else is and then demand local schools or police do something when they are bullied. If parents can't handle such a simplistic problem such as this, what are they going to do when their child wants to drink, do drugs and have sex? They will have no idea and have already failed at setting boundaries for the child earlier in life.
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3-24-2011 @ 4:35PM
Jackie said...I'm with you SirGalton , I believe in doing things in an age appropriate manner and not because 'that's what everyone else is doing . My problem is my husband is the one that thinks like that ! So you know I have my hands full having to put my foot down (sometimes not winning ) about some things. A never ending problem until they finally go off to college or move out. If parents don't do their job's while they have control over their children, when they get out into the real world, it's gonna show .
3-24-2011 @ 8:17PM
common sense said...why should the innocent lose their rights or priviledges because of what someone else is doing wrong?if their are bullie or people doing wrong on the internert kick THEM off.where is your reasoning ?because it sounds cowardly,your view is punishing the innocent and upholding the wrong doers .do you not feel that is twisted and wrong?sad sad world if thats the majority thought process which it seems to be more and more.where are the REAL righteous people who stand up for good and punish wrong.please do tell why the innocent is at fault,in your oppinion,for being bullied?hopefully you see that makes no sense after some thought but if you dont and even if you try to justify your oppinion it is still wrong regardless of how you twist it.
3-25-2011 @ 9:25AM
SirGalton said...Common sense - Ironically, it sounds like you have none. We are not defending bullies, far from that... bullies are kicked off facebook as well. When you allow your child who is UNDER THE REQUIRED AGE, you are in the wrong and so is your child. There are safety and security issues whenever you allow a child on facebook, that is why it is important for parents to monitor their child's internet usage, the internet is not just for playing games and should not be used as a babysitting tool.
You sound like the same parent who cries and complains that their child is being bullied in their own bedroom, over the computer.... Complete lack of common sense, some kids/teens spend too much time on facebook, reading other peers pages, reading mean & rude comments and creating drama. Teens need to stop LOOKING for drama. Same goes for parents, I have dealt with cases where parents have threatened and bullied over facebook, because they thought they were helping their child. The parents are just as immature as their teen. Parents who take an active role in their child's life and monitor internet usage APPROPRIATELY, will less likely have children who are bullies and/or victims.
How is facebook a right? Facebook was originally created for only college students with a college email. Unfortunately, it seems that children/teens are not mature enough to handle this social media source.
Your statements make absolutely no sense, how are innocent people being punished, please elaborate, show us you have at least a spark of intelligence, otherwise, don't bother commenting with your silly rants.
3-24-2011 @ 2:14PM
Simzee said...If the parents won't do the job.....the kids will learn out in the street. One way or another, kids will get it.
Reply
3-24-2011 @ 5:36PM
Kitty said...I find it very hard to believe but know it is true most parents don't know what their kids are doing,I have a 12 year old and every single 12 year old in her school has a facebook page,I went on some of those pages and was shocked at the posts I read and the photos that I found....I don't know what the hell these parents are thinking or why the are too lazy to check on their kids..it equals bad parenting in my eyes.
I will not allow my kid to have a facebook page and I did not allow my older kid to have a facebook page until she turned 18 and then I had to talk to her about employers looking at pages and how she needs to moniter comments and so forth...she understands and there is no problem and Iam her friend on her profile..everything is fine if I ever come across something on her page that is rude.or not appropriate I have noticed she deletes it... which is how it should be. If parents will not be responsible then facebook should just delete the accounts of all under 14 people...that is how I feel about it...and parents YOU need to know what your kids are doing....in Anaheim Hills the land where parents like to be their kids best friend ...wake up people!
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3-24-2011 @ 3:01PM
ctchas@aol.com said...I tried to watch what my child did on line and Judge Jorgre Simone and Attorney Rhonda Morra here in Connectciut told me I was committing child abuse . I also tried to take the child for counseling and these two held me in contempt of court and find me $3000.
Connecticut is a lousy state with Jugdes and Attorneys whom need to be brought out into the light
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3-24-2011 @ 4:04PM
Linda Beeson said...maybe Facebook could come up with at FBjunior, or something?
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3-24-2011 @ 4:34PM
Pamela said...Facebook should not be used for kids under 18. You can't watch them all the time and there is so much out there to hurt these children. I hope they bann everyone under 18 and take them off faceboo.
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8-05-2011 @ 7:35AM
ROBIN said...There are a lot of games that appeal to kids under 13.. happy pets, farmville, pet society ext..... I know a few parents that made a fake id for their children to play the games and they monitor the time the children spend on facebook.
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3-24-2011 @ 6:02PM
Marcie said...My granddaughter is almost 8 and she loves Farmville. She doesn't have her own account, but she plays on her Farm and other relative's farms. What's the big deal?
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3-24-2011 @ 6:15PM
Ali said...The funny thing is.. back when Facebook first came out it was used only for college kids, a way to keep in touch with friends from high school. You had to have a valid college email address to sign up.
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3-24-2011 @ 9:39PM
MrsGray10 said...My cousin's ex wife has created 3 or 4 profiles for each of her children, one of whom is under the age of 4...Why does a 4-year-old need facebook?? She can't even read! She uses the profiles to create more friends for her games, which gives her more points or something? I report them every day and facebook hasn't taken them down. It is clear they are kids. They have pictures of cartoon characters, etc. Two were taken down and she just creates more. (She has several other issues with being an adult/parent). Some parents are way too immature to have children!!
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3-24-2011 @ 6:25PM
kathy said...I have a 16 year old. She has been on FB for 2 years. I give her the privilege of using facebook. We are FB friends, I know her password and I also have a FB account. I monitor her often and I think that is the answer, know what your kids are doing, know what their friends are doing. The old way was the telephone. I ALWAYS was on the phone with my friends. That was not monitored.... Mom was never on the other line... I feel that I know my daughter AND her friends better because of facebook. As parents we should learn to use it and use it as a tool as well as entertainment!
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3-24-2011 @ 6:39PM
onlyiamme said...Too bad this is only about facebook when there are other issues affecting our young children...such as those who experiment with drugs and alcohol and become addicted by the age of 12...
Do you think there is someghing wrong with this picture? Social networking vs. alcohol and drug abuse.....
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3-24-2011 @ 7:05PM
alex smith said...Facebook does no monitoring at all. I am horrified that all my grandchildren and their friends who range in age from 7 to 11 are on facebook. You can tell by the pictures and the comments they make and the fact that they wish each other happy 8th birthday etc. I can not convince the parents not to let them on there. So I know of at least 50 children currently on.
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3-24-2011 @ 7:08PM
Billy Lee said...I think everyone will be coming to playitcity.com when it launches on the 3rd of next month anyway, lol... see you there!
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3-24-2011 @ 7:39PM
skahoney22 said...Both my 6 & 9 year old have FB accounts. The only friends they have are family, and I "hide" everyones status updates so they cannot read them. They play Farm Town, and all those kiddie games. I am in the room right beside them while playing and I log into their pages twice a day to make sure there's no fishy friend requests or spam messages. I know 100% what is going on with their pages, and I do not see it as a big deal if you take these precautions beforehand!
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3-24-2011 @ 8:01PM
Hilary said...Well, the bottom line is that FB has set a limit on the age they wanted on their site....those who are younger than that and those who allow them to are abusing FB policies. Not really sure what people don't get about that....
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