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 networks by entering in false date of birth details.
How Old Do You Have To Have Facebook
Social media has actually been proven to play a crucial role in teaching children life skills for the digital age. Parents can help their pre-teens acquire critical eSafety abilities by being actively included with their web use on social networking websites that are specifically for more youthful children, such as Kidz World, Your Sphere, Togetherville and ScuttlePad.
But for pre-teens, Facebook simply isn't proper.
If you're on the fence about helping your pre-teen set up a Facebook account, here are some engaging reasons why pre-teens should not be on Facebook.
Assisting your pre-teen produce a Facebook account is helping them lie about their age.
Not only are you teaching your child that you think it's okay to inform a lie, you will be setting a risky precedent about which guidelines are "ok" to break.
The minimum age requirement is in location due to the fact that Facebook wishes to keep kids safe.
"We take security very, extremely seriously and think that educating parents about protecting their kids online is as essential about talking to kids about not opening the door to strangers or looking both methods before 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 might well think that it's all right to lie about their age to gain access to other websites that are not suitable for children. Teaching your kid about how to be safe online involves teaching children to regard 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. The bulk of Facebook's users are older teenagers and adults who might post suggestive photos or utilize improper language for your under-13 kid to see.
Kids-focused social networking sites are a safe method for children to be on a social network without the risk of them seeing unsuitable content.
Secure your kids from cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying can have extremely harmful outcomes for kids of any age, but is particularly ravaging for kids in the 6-12 age variety. Kids at this age take words very literally and receive criticism more personally. Combined with the permanence of Facebook material, pre-teens might be considerably impacted by taking harsh words very personally along with dealing with content, like images, that live permanently online.
Again, informing kids about cyberbullying and revealing them healthy methods to respond if they or someone they know 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 weight problems.
Young kids need to remain active with unstructured play, outside time, and plenty of face-to-face interactions with other kids. Hanging out on Facebook and other online activities interferes with this active place and may unlock to a more sedentary lifestyle, adding to youth obesity.
Additionally, researchers at Columbia University recently found that using Facebook might be connected to weight problems, for children and grownups, due to the unfavorable consuming practices that could result from frequent visitation of social networking websites.
How Old Do You Have To Have Facebook, So until kids reach the age of 13, it's best for them to stay off Facebook and discover ways to be safe and make clever choices online in other methods.