7.5 million kids under the age of 12 are on Facebook, a consumer reports survey revealed. Currently there is no way to verify age of anyone on Facebook. Kids lie about their age to get on Facebook. So, is this a Facebook responsibility or a parent responsibility?
The reality is that kids 12 and under should not be on Facebook. They lack the judgement, experience and maturity to handle all of the potential risks associated with Facebook usage, such as cyberbullying and extreme cyberbullying, like busto pages. There are horrific Facebook groups such as “Let’s go f…ing mental” which promotes binge drinking. Posting too much identifying personal information or posting inappropriate pictures, comments is a problem even with kids that are over the required age of 13. Saying No to your young child or preteen going on Facebook is responsible parenting. However, there are two groups of parents, those that do not want their children on Facebook under the age of 13 and those that don’t think it’s a big deal even knowing the risks.
The bottom line is that all parents need to be aware of the risks and know what their kids are doing online by monitoring what their children are doing online. Kids shouldn’t be on Facebook under the age of 13, but there are also many other sites that kids have no business visiting, like Chathopper for one. It’s time for parents to step up to this internet world we live in, get in the know, and stop expecting technology to baby-sit their children and provide quick fixes. Facebook is not responsible for monitoring children online, parents are responsible for monitoring their children online. Parents need to parent online just as they do offline to keep their children out of harms way and teach safe, appropriate, responsible behavior online. Know and No are the best protectors for kids online.
