While 13 is the minimum age needed to set up a Facebook account, many children under this age established accounts on Facebook and other social media networks by going into in incorrect date of birth information.
How Old Do I Have To Be To Have Facebook
Social media has been shown to play an important role in teaching children life abilities for the digital age. Parents can assist their pre-teens acquire vital eSafety skills by being actively involved with their web use on social networking sites that are specifically for more youthful kids, such as Kidz World, Your Sphere, Togetherville and ScuttlePad.
However for pre-teens, Facebook merely isn't suitable.
If you're on the fence about assisting your pre-teen established a Facebook account, here are some engaging reasons pre-teens must not be on Facebook.
Helping your pre-teen develop a Facebook account is helping them lie about their age.
Not just are you teaching your child that you think it's fine to inform a lie, you will be setting a dangerous precedent about which rules are "ok" to break.
The minimum age requirement remains in place since Facebook wishes to keep kids safe.
"We take safety very, really seriously and think that informing parents about protecting their kids online is as essential about talking with kids about not opening the door to complete strangers or looking both methods prior to crossing the street," said Maureen O'Hara, Facebook-Corporate Communications.
If you teach your child that it is alright to lie about their date of birth to access Facebook, then they could well think that it's fine to lie about their age to access other sites that are not proper for kids. Teaching your child about ways to be safe online includes teaching kids to respect age-restrictions on sites.
Facebook exposes kids to adult content.
The minimum age of 13 was
intentionally set as a method to safeguard pre-teens from adult content. The majority of Facebook's users are older teens and grownups who may publish suggestive photos or utilize unsuitable language for your under-13 kid to see.
Kids-focused social networking websites are a safe method for kids to be on a social network without the danger of them seeing unsuitable content.
Secure your kids from cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying can have really harmful outcomes for kids of any age, but is especially ravaging for kids in the 6-12 age range. Children at this age take words extremely literally and get criticism more personally. Integrated with the permanence of Facebook content, pre-teens might be considerably impacted by taking harsh words extremely personally in addition to handling content, like images, that live permanently online.
Once again, informing kids about cyberbullying and revealing them healthy ways to respond if they or someone they know are being bullied online will provide a strong foundation for when they do get on Facebook and other social networking sites.
Facebook for pre-teens can add to youth obesity.
Young kids require to stay active with disorganized play, outdoor time, and plenty of in person interactions with other kids. Hanging out on Facebook and other online activities interferes with this active place and may open the door to a more sedentary lifestyle, contributing to youth weight problems.
Additionally, scientists at Columbia University recently discovered that using Facebook may be tied to weight problems, for children and grownups, due to the unfavorable consuming practices that could arise from regular visitation of social networking websites.
How Old Do I Have To Be To Have Facebook, So until kids reach the age of 13, it's best for them to stay off Facebook and find out how to be safe and make wise choices online in other ways.