There are a number of positive points about children under the age of 13 to use facebook, for example: Positives: -Talk to friends -Keep in touch with long distance relative -Talk about school work -Its safer for them to use the under 13 version rather then the adult version Negative: -People might create fake profiles -Easily influenced by others -Might meet up with strangers -Give out personal information If they create an under 13 facebook that version of facebook will automatically recognise them as under 13 and so will change their privacy settings so that strangers won't be able to look at personal information and photos I think they should create an under 13 facebook this version should include: -Customize background -More games -Parents could authorise what they do -Make it more interesting so they will have something to do I would be worried if my younger brother/sister had facebook because I personally have it myself and I know the dangers that are out there. Children don't tend to think about what they do online and therefore don't know the danger they could get themselves into. Blog by Rahil, Roundhay High School
The Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, thinks that under 13 year olds should be allowed on facebook and wants to make it that way.
In the UK, 43% of 9 to 12-year-olds have social networking profiles, along with 88% of 13 to 16-year-olds.
Most parents forbid their children to use Facebook, but the children sometimes use it anyway, saying they are older and maybe using a different name so that the parents won't be able to find them.
The pros and cons pf under 13's being on Facebook:
The Pro's:
They can talk to their friends.
Keep in contact with friends that maybe they've lost contact with.
Millions of under 13's are already on facebook, so they should adapt it to be more suitable for them.
The Con's:
Pedophiles could pretend to be younger and use a different name to get in touch with young girls or boys, and get them to meet up with them.
There can be bullying on facebook.
It's not safe.
You never know who you are talking to.
I think it is safe for under 13's to be on facebook because as long as they know what they are doing and they are sensible, no harm can come from it. It could only be dangerous if they let it. For example meeting up with someone they don't know.
I don't think making it official would make much of a difference, just that they could put all their real details on and that could be dangerous. But again, as long as they give out personal information on the web, it's okay.
If there was a different version for under 13's, i don't think many of them would use it. They would just keep on pretending to be older so that they could stay on the 'better' facebook. I don't see how they could make it appealing to under 13's, they would think that they were being treated like baby's.
That's my opinion. What do you think ?
Blog by Ellie, 15, Switzerland
Mark Zuckerburg, who invented Facebook wants to lower the age limit so children under 13 can use Facebook.
Personally, I don't think that this is a good idea, as some children's parents don't change the privacy settings on social networking sites. But there are positives such as: You can talk to friends, Talk about school work, Keep in touch with friends from different schools or when you go on up to High School.
Despite these ideas, there are also negatives such as: With no privacy settings anyone can look at their profile, Stalkers and Paedophiles can look at what you post on your wall.
Although, Facebook is meant for over 13's only their are many under 13's on Facebook as they lie about their age. Unfortunately, this can't be stopped as their are over 750 million active users in the world.
I think their should be an alterative version of Facebook for under 13's as there wouldn't be any adult games and parents could change the privacy settings and lock them with a password so their children can't change them.
At DigitalME, we’re launching the national Facebook Age Debate hub this morning and we hope you will add your point of view, info and knowledge around the question of whether under-13s should be allowed onto Facebook - officially.
The Facebook Age Debate hub will provide space and resources for people who want to add their views and we will also run a series of online polls to gather essential benchmark information around the discussion.
We’re an education social enterprise, based in Leeds and we decided to build this debate hub in response to questions posed by children and teachers who have taken our Safe online safety course, supported by the Nominet Trust.
When two Riversdale School pupils interviewed Richard Allan, Facebook’s Director of Policy, and asked whether under 13s would be allowed on Facebook officially, he replied: “We’ve said publicly that there is a debate around that and we think it’s a debate for everybody in society to think about. We provide a service and today we think it’s appropriate for 13+.”
“For a long time people said younger children should not have mobile phones and now most parents feel comfortable. Over time, people feel more comfortable with younger people using [new technology] and we’re listening to discussions but we think it’s for everybody – for parents, children, everybody - to think about, not just Facebook.”
“We don’t want anyone to lie about their date of birth but if you are doing anything online, discuss it with your parents, take advice - they are the best people to keep you safe.”
I’m Tim Riches, CEO of DigitalME, and it’s become very clear to the team here that the debate on allowing under 13s onto Facebook urgently needs a focal point, a hub where all views can be expressed freely, knowledge shared and new connections made.
That’s why we decided to launch the online Facebook Age Debate hub. Without this focal point, the debate will remain dispersed and ineffective.
EU Kids Online, Nielsen and other independent research indicates that while the official joining age on Facebook is 13, there are millions of young people from age 7 up who regularly use Facebook to connect with their friends.
As an adjunct to the age debate, the DigitalME team believes that every school pupil in the UK has the right to learn using new technologies, including social media, and to be taught the principles of how to engage safely online at an early age. Teachers and parents should know the opportunities and challenges around socialnetworking for young people.
Rather than ignoring the problem, we should make sure that we equip them to engage safely online. We need to address this and teach children of all ages how to engage safely, as well as showing teachers and parents how they can guide their young people to make the best use of social networking.
Your views are very important and would form a pressure point for any change at Facebook around the age question so please join in. You can also help by voting in our polls, the first of which is here.
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Useful Links:
Coppa - Under 13's are not allowed on Facebook due to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
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