Ignoring the fact that there are plenty of kids who are under 13 already on the site, what does a kid that young need a social network for? Isn't that what their classroom is?

Ignoring the fact that there are plenty of kids who are under 13 already on the site, what does a kid that young need a social network for? Isn't that what their classroom is?

Facebook Considers Letting Kids Under 13 Join.

Site ignores the fact that parents already let kids under 13 join.

By: Jena Kehoe

Web2Carz Contributing Writer

Published: June 10th, 2012



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acebook's current terms of service dictate that you must be over the age of 13 to join, but now, they're revisiting the rule and mulling over whether to allow even younger kids to join. This is all well and terrible, but it ignores a major fact: parents already let their kids sign up when they're under 13. It also ignores that you don't have to prove your birthday, so there are plenty of underage kids on there already.

Moms and Dads: What does a 10-year-old need a social network for?

The proposed addendum would include built-in parental supervision to ensure each child's online safety, including giving parents the option to choose which applications their child would be allowed to use. It may also include an option that would let parents approve or deny friend requests.

A study in 2011 showed that 36 percent of parents already allow their under-13-year-old kids to use Facebook, and in many cases, the parent helped the child create the account, too. Okay, seriously? Moms and Dads: What does a 10-year-old need a social network for?

An estimated 7.5 million kids are already on the website, and opponents of allowing them say that Facebook should just provide parents with reasons why their children shouldn't be allowed.

Still, it makes perfect sense that Facebook would want younger users—younger people aren't as savvy about which information they keep public and which they make private. It's a perfect set-up for advertisers, who are looking to create brand loyalty. What better way to get people to love their product than by attracting them when they're at their youngest and most impressionable?