While 13 is the minimum age needed to set up a Facebook account, many kids under this age set up accounts on Facebook and other social media networks by going into in incorrect date of birth details.
How Old Do U Have To Be To Have Facebook
Social media has been proven to play an essential role in teaching kids life skills for the digital age. Moms and dads can assist their pre-teens acquire vital eSafety abilities by being actively involved with their web use on social networking websites that are exclusively for more youthful children, such as Kidz World, Your Sphere, Togetherville and ScuttlePad.
But for pre-teens, Facebook simply isn't really proper.
If you're on the fence about assisting your pre-teen set up a Facebook account, here are some engaging factors why pre-teens need to not be on Facebook.
Helping your pre-teen develop a Facebook account is assisting them lie about their age.
Not just are you teaching your kid that you think it's alright 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 due to the fact that Facebook desires to keep kids safe.
"We take security extremely, really seriously and believe that informing moms and dads about securing their kids online is as important about speaking with kids about not opening the door to strangers or looking both ways before crossing the street," said Maureen O'Hara, Facebook-Corporate Communications.
If you teach your child that it is fine to lie about their date of birth to gain access to Facebook, then they might well believe that it's alright to lie about their age to gain access to other sites that are not suitable for children. Teaching your kid about how to be safe online includes teaching children to respect age-restrictions on websites.
Facebook exposes kids to adult content.
The minimum age of 13 was
purposefully set as a way to safeguard pre-teens from adult content. Most of Facebook's users are older teens and adults who may post suggestive images or utilize inappropriate language for your under-13 kid to see.
Kids-focused social networking sites are a safe method for children to be on a social media without the danger of them seeing improper content.
Safeguard your kids from cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying can have really destructive results for kids of any age, but is particularly ravaging for children in the 6-12 age variety. Kids at this age take words really literally and get criticism more personally. Combined with the permanence of Facebook material, pre-teens may be significantly impacted by taking severe words very personally as well as handling content, like images, that live permanently online.
Again, informing children about cyberbullying and revealing them healthy ways to react if they or somebody they understand are being bullied online will use a strong structure for when they do get on Facebook and other social networking sites.
Facebook for pre-teens can contribute to youth obesity.
Young kids need to stay active with disorganized play, outdoor time, and lots of in person interactions with other kids. Hanging out on Facebook and other online activities detracts from this active place and may unlock to a more inactive way of life, adding to youth weight problems.
In addition, scientists at Columbia University just recently discovered that using Facebook might be tied to obesity, for kids and adults, due to the negative eating routines that might arise from regular visitation of social networking websites.
How Old Do U Have To Be To Have Facebook, So until kids reach the age of 13, it's finest for them to remain off Facebook and discover how to be safe and make clever choices online in other ways.