Kids and Facebook

Facebook requires that its members be a minimum of thirteen years old in order to have an account. Do you think a thirteen year old should have a Facebook page? Would you allow your kids to have one?

I guess MAYBE, depending on the kid, I'd let them have one. It'd really depend on the kid's personality and responsibility.

I can't say that 13yo's "should" have a FB page, but I have had no problems with my kids' FB pages.

My kids have friends and family all over the country. FB makes it easier for them to stay connected.

"should"? No, would I let my kids have one? No.

It just depends. Are they responsible for their age? Are their grades up and are they getting enough time outside to play and stuff?

My concern with FB is not that it's too grown up for them or anything because I would have the password to their page and I'd know who they were friends were and I'd set their privacy settings and all that...I just don't think they need more screen time.

thepossiblepolice wrote:It just depends. Are they responsible for their age? Are their grades up and are they getting enough time outside to play and stuff?

My concern with FB is not that it's too grown up for them or anything because I would have the password to their page and I'd know who they were friends were and I'd set their privacy settings and all that...I just don't think they need more screen time.

Exactly, if anything kids today need LESS screen time, they're already glued to the TV, video games, the computer and their cell phones that have a hundred features commonly found on computers but will drop a call if a cloud passes overhead.

And another issue I have with Facebook is the whole privacy thing, there is no privacy.

Lol, my little sister has one. But I notice she only uses it on the weekends and her buddies are from her middle school.

But I think the previous posters said it best, it all depends on how responsible they are. But its strange because at 26, I dont facevook, twitter or myspace. So maybe something is wrong with me?

Marcholm85 wrote:Lol, my little sister has one. But I notice she only uses it on the weekends and her buddies are from her middle school.

But I think the previous posters said it best, it all depends on how responsible they are. But its strange because at 26, I dont facevook, twitter or myspace. So maybe something is wrong with me?

Well that's my theory, I do not now nor have I ever had a facebook account, a myspace account, or twitter, and if I can survive without it, why is it so important that my kid HAS to have it?

Gosh, I love Facebook. My family and friends are so spread out, it's really nice to see what's up with them without having to visit a bunch of different blogs and stuff. I hate talking on the phone because of my hearing loss.

I don't see why not. Facebook today is like what a telephone in your bedroom was 20 years ago. I don't know how they do their parental controls features, but so long as their set then it shouldn't be a problem for a teenager to have a Facebook or Myspace page.

I'd prob. let them wait until high school. But it would definitely depend on my kid before I let them have a Facebook page. And I would definitely have parent controls on it.

My son has one and I have liked him having one. I have been able to snoop on his account (which he knows, and was a stipulation for him getting one) and see what his friends are saying. It has tipped me off to a few things that I was not happy to know his friends are into.

I would allow my teenager have a Facebook page, with the understanding that I would have access to, and power over, it.

JM130ELM wrote:I don't see why not. Facebook today is like what a telephone in your bedroom was 20 years ago. I don't know how they do their parental controls features, but so long as their set then it shouldn't be a problem for a teenager to have a Facebook or Myspace page.

No, a cell phone today is what like a telephone in your bedroom was 20 years ago.

Supernova wrote:

JM130ELM wrote:I don't see why not. Facebook today is like what a telephone in your bedroom was 20 years ago. I don't know how they do their parental controls features, but so long as their set then it shouldn't be a problem for a teenager to have a Facebook or Myspace page.

No, a cell phone today is what like a telephone in your bedroom was 20 years ago.

And cellphones usually have Internet access and/or a Facebook application.