Social networks and kids: How young is too young?

[Bob Hubbard]

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Facebook, MySpace require users to be 13, but the sites can't really enforce it
• Study found 38 percent of kids ages 12 to 14 have online profiles
• One Georgia parent allows kids to use networking sites, but with rules, supervision
• Expert: Kids' social networking use is "pretty harmless"

 

[Bob Hubbard]

We have an age limit, ask at sign up, yet kids still do slip through. We block them when we find them, but, you have to figure half get through at least.

Only way is to insist on payment via credit card, or subscribe to an ID verification service, both of which would practically kill new signups as most adults would balk at it.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

Only way is to insist on payment via credit card, or subscribe to an ID verification service, both of which would practically kill new signups as most adults would balk at it.

I know I would, but that's just because I'm a bit paranoid about ID-theft.

My answer to "how young is too young" is probably anything younger than high school. If I were a parent, I would wait until then, at least, before allowing my kid to create online profiles. Any age younger than that, I think, is too young to really think about the consequences of stuff they put online. At least by high school (average, I'm guessing, of 15 or so), they're old enough to think about that kind of stuff if taught. Not saying they always do.

Of course, by the time I have kids, the network sites and 'net will probably be so far advanced, I'd have no ability to monitor whether they have one up. Gods know that I still get confused by file-sharing programs.

 

[Stac3y]

My oldest is 11, and he's not allowed to use social networking sites. I know people who allow their children of the same age (or younger) to use them. I use facebook, but I will not friend people under the age of 18--some of the adults conduct themselves in ways I wouldn't feel comfortable exposing a child to. I do have a couple of younger teen fb friends, but I accepted their requests before I had thought it through; I also know their parents well, and know they are monitoring their kids' use.

Of course, most people would think I'm overly strict; I also don't allow my kids to play first person shooters, see PG-13 movies that I haven't already either seen or researched, have their own email accounts, or watch the news when I'm not present. I'm sometimes shocked at the things their friends are allowed to do.

 

[Bruno@MT]

It depends a bit on the child in question, but I'd say at least until highschool.
That is a moment where you can say 'ok you are no longer just a kid'. They are still kids, but kids learning to be 'grownups' bit by bit.

From then on, social networking might be acceptable under supervision.
Same for FPS, movies and other stuff.

But as I said it depends on the kid. My oldest daughter was already using sharp paring knives in the kitchen when she was 2. The first thing we taught her was knife safety and cutting the ends of beans. She still only uses knives under our supervision, but she is very capable of doing so. Now my youngest daughter is 2 and a half, but she is nowhere near ready to get her hands on a knife. Different kid, different situation.