Will Gardner, CEO of Childnet International Official Response to the Facebook for Under 13s Debate #FB13

We know at Childnet from our education outreach work, where we go into to primary and secondary schools across the country, that there are many under 13s on Facebook. Some are using it with and some without their parents consent and guidance, and in our work with parents, we see that many are not aware of the age requirement. Research, such as the EU Kids Online II study, reveal the extent of this under age use, with 1 in 5 9-12s having a Facebook profile, and a significant increase identifiable at the age when children start secondary school at 11.

Does the fact that so many under 13s are using Facebook make it a reason to lower the age requirement? Would lowering or removing this age requirement mean that children would then be honest about the age they declare when they register for the service, and in turn help them to be better protected? Would removing the age requirement make it harder for parents to influence the age their children start using these services? The debate is a useful one to have and helps to focus on the potential benefits and the potential risks of this service to children of a younger age.

The age requirement comes from a US law made prior to the advent of Facebook and social networking that prohibits companies from collecting personal data from under 13s without parental consent. In some ways then, this age requirement can seem a bit arbitrary, as it does not follow an assessment of the suitability of a particular service/s for children of particular ages. And children are different. They develop at different speeds and have different interests, and clearly turning 13 does not mean that a child is automatically able and equipped to use the service safely and responsibly.

As it happens, Facebook, in its current format, is not designed for under 13s. A look at the extent and complexity of the Privacy Settings illustrates this, but also when one looks at online services which are targeted at younger children, you can see features which have been designed to provide a ‘safer’ environment in which children can first engage in such an online community. Such features can include moderation and moderators, and making parental consent a part of the service (and thus being compliant with COPPA, the US law), as well as parental involvement in the choices relating to the service their child is using. To use Tanya Byron’s swimming pool analogy, it is the shallow end, where children are learning how to swim in a more controlled environment, before they start accessing the deep end.

Equipping children to use such services in a way that they can keep themselves safe as well as their peers and others in their community is a vital part of the work we do. Whatever age children start using technology and online services, and this includes social networking, they need to know how to use this safely and responsibly, and with mobile access on an incredible rise, this knowledge becomes ever more important. There are potential risks, and it is important that children and young people are aware and have the skills to navigate these environments and that they know what to do if things go wrong and they feel uncomfortable or in difficulty. This needs to start before children are 13, not just because under 13s are using these services, but because we need to prepare children for these services before they start using them.

Official Facebook Age Debate

Riversdale Pupils interview Will Gardner, CEO of Childnet International