‘Facebook considers giving kids under 13 access to the social network’

Facebook considers giving kids under 13 access to the social network
Move could curb number of young children joining with false identities; 2011 report found 7.5 million users were under 13
By Meena Hart Duerson / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, June 4, 2012, 5:15 PM



Unlocking access for younger children has potential to broaden Facebook’s user base, but also to raise red flags among parents worried about privacy.


Facebook may be going to the tweens.

The social network has attempted to enforce an age limit allowing only users aged 13 and older, but it may soon open membership to pre-teens, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Unlocking access for younger children has potential to broaden Facebook’s user base, but also to raise red flags among parents worried about their kids' privacy.

Part of any policy change would include parental controls, sources told the Journal.

For example, users younger than 13 might join using accounts linked to a parent or guardian’s profile, giving the adult control over a child’s apps and friend requests.

Allowing kids to join under their real identities could also help stem the waves of young users who join using fake names

"Recent reports have highlighted just how difficult it is to enforce age restrictions on the Internet," the company told the Journal in a statement. "We are in continuous dialogue with stakeholders, regulators and other policy makers about how best to help parents keep their kids safe in an evolving online environment."

A 2011 Consumer Reports study found that 7.5 million profiles on the site are operated by users younger than 13 years old. The majority of those kids were under 10 years old, the study found, and their parents admitted to not monitoring their children's online activity.

Facebook acknowledged the problem last year and said it regularly removes accounts of underage users.

Allowing children to use the site openly could offer an additional revenue stream for Facebook, whose disappointing IPO has been the talk of the tech world. Facebook and application partners like Zynga could target a whole new audience by charging parents for games and content accessed by their kids on the site, sources told the Journal.

Facebook revealed in its IPO filing that 12% of its revenue came from Zynga, through social games like Farmville.

While not confirming any specific moves to allow children on the platform, Facebook acknowledged the issue again and its own efforts to find a solution.

Facebook's decision will likely be affected by the Federal Trade Commission's review of how the Children's Online Privacy Act of 1998 is being implemented, which regulates how websites can collect information from children.

That review is expected to be finished this year.