Parents help children lie for Facebook accounts.

[Chuckun]

When I was 10 we used to play OUTSIDE. 20 years ago RoFl... oh those memories.

 

This too! Most people my age (20) grew up with computers.. But we didn't.. We lived extremely rurally, and had to be adventurous to keep ourselves entertained.. A Windows 98SE computer was given to us at one point to help with some word processing, and as amazed kids, we loved playing with paint but obviously that got boring very quickly and we went back to our own little fantasy lives adventuring lol.

 

Eventually we got internet but weren't really allowed on it for more than an hour..

[G!NG3R420]

I say this is extremely retarded. There are TOS for a reason. All these predators out there these days and the parents get their kid an account that says they are 18 when they are only 10. This is the problem now and days, not the websites. Its the dumb ass parents of kids who don't have a mind clear enough to come to a logical conclusion.

 

!fail.

 

 

ps-I wonder if that's the reason for the min age 16 for applications. Stop all the FA sex offenders!!

[Chuckun]

ps-I wonder if that's the reason for the min age 16 for applications. Stop all the FA sex offenders!!

 

LOL! <3

[YMCMB]

Well it seems I'm going out on a limb by posting my thoughts on the issue.

 

Why I use FB?

I'm 24 and my husband is going on 29 so we both missed the social networking start . My first account was actually in college and it was used to share photos with friends who have moved. It was actually on MySpace as well. I switched to Facebook almost 2-years ago as the interface was cleaner and offered more features. I used for the same reason mostly until about a year and a half ago until we opened our very first business which was a pawn shop and I made a account for it and it drew a little traffic that was nice. About 8-months ago we opened a second business which is a adult themed club and by creating a page on that one business almost tripled just by seeing how many people locally used FB it was quite amazing. We have 3-Facebook's now: mine, my husbands and a joint account that is used for advertisement and we've been trying to join all 3 together into a new and was debating about buying ad space to show up on local accounts who seem to have slimmer interest. FaceBook has almost took out the need for local businesses to have websites. I use it for personal and professional reasons.

 

^ with that said I am fully aware of the perverted people that exist and I'll explain how to keep the children safe below

 

 

Why minors could make FB work?

A large number of kid-friendly games and applications not to mention on kid based websites are allowing one touch log in with FB saving a lot of hassle. A large % of FB are underage as many parents agree it's a great way for their friends to interact promoting social interactions and tolerance to others due to the wide range of users.

 

How to keep them safe?

It pisses me off all you yell bad parenting when it's not if they should have a account or not it's keeping it fully monitored that matters. If my daughter asked me for a account at 8 I would make her one. I would set the age @ 13 stopping anyone who claims to be 18 from friend(ing)and you can tie a adult account into which I would do. I would log in multiple times during the day and monitor what is sent, received, who is added as a friend and what apps are used.

 

I am fully aware of people with ill-intentions who make underage accounts and all of the kids who have been a victim is parents who do not monitor. These are the same parents who let them play out in the street with no one watching, same parents who send their pre-teens to have a sleep over with their friends and never see them again as they go elsewhere. These are bad parents.

 

Nothing means more in life then my daughter and the time and effort I'd put to a situation like this I guarantee would keep her safe. There is a difference between letting them do what ever and letting them have freedom with heavy supervision. Good respectable parents can keep their kids safe without begin over protective. I had free run when I was child but the whole time I knew my mom was watching and up to 18 I was damn near perfect. Never did anything wrong or illegal. It was after 18 till I did anything questionable and that was more of just falling into wrong crowd during college/adult hood. I'm not saying I'm perfect as I'm not I have my habits and problems just like everyone of you.

Edited November 8, 2011 by Amber L. Winchell

[Jorz]

When I was 10 we used to play OUTSIDE. 20 years ago RoFl... oh those memories.

that existed 5-6 years ago,which is not long ago....

 

[YMCMB]

that existed 5-6 years ago,which is not long ago....

 

It always angers me when I'm in the city and see kids out playing with no supervision.

[Ghostwind]

Facebook has a legal obligation to prevent children themselves from signing up under the age of 13 under US law. Parents may consent to having their children having an account as an exception to this law if they are under 13. I see no issue here if parents are supervising their children while they are using the site. I believe that is the spirit of the law behind this.

[Jefke]

It always angers me when I'm in the city and see kids out playing with no supervision.

 

to be honest when I was 10 I also played outside with no 'visible' supervision (I had very clear rules: hour I should be back, to where I could go,...)

I live in a pretty small village (although I have to say it growed a lot in the last 7 years)

and yes my parents weren't watching everytime, but when I did something wrong (stupid things that kids do ^^) or get hurt...

 

well they knew it (and came to get me within 5min ) because person x saw me doing it and called my mom to tell her.

So I would that call supervision

 

My little brothers/sisters spent a whole lot of more time with things like pc, wii and stuff like that, instead of playing outside: backyard

I had a gameboy color and was allowed to play 30min a day and often I even didn't do that .

 

So I don't think my parents did such a bad job

but yeah, in cities it's a whole other story I guess...

 

More on topic :

 

My mom doesn't help my little sisters to make a facebook account, but I have to say they are smart enough to set there age older...

They see: 'sorry, you have to be 13 year or older to make an account' or whatever you get and what they do => start over to make an 13 old account.

 

ps. My mom knows this and orders me to monitor it (result: I blocked facebook, netlog, etc on little sisters pc + check from time to time what they are doing) => I know a lot more of pc and facebook stuff then her so it makes sense to let me do it ).

And some social networks are even worse, for example 'netlog' ,if somebody knows it (belgium based network but has grow international) , sets you age on 13 when you enter something below 13 (not sure they still do i, checked it like 3years ago).

Think that's completely wrong

[Strobel]

I think even 13 is way too young to use facebook. But parents helping the kids to join a social network that's not allowing users under 13? No, those folks don't even should have kids IMHO...

[YMCMB]

Facebook has a legal obligation to prevent children themselves from signing up under the age of 13 under US law. Parents may consent to having their children having an account as an exception to this law if they are under 13. I see no issue here if parents are supervising their children while they are using the site. I believe that is the spirit of the law behind this.

 

Exactly.

 

 

to be honest when I was 10 I also played outside with no 'visible' supervision (I had very clear rules: hour I should be back, to where I could go,...)

I live in a pretty small village (although I have to say it growed a lot in the last 7 years)

and yes my parents weren't watching everytime, but when I did something wrong (stupid things that kids do ^^) or get hurt...

 

well they knew it (and came to get me within 5min ) because person x saw me doing it and called my mom to tell her.

So I would that call supervision

 

My little brothers/sisters spent a whole lot of more time with things like pc, wii and stuff like that, instead of playing outside: backyard

I had a gameboy color and was allowed to play 30min a day and often I even didn't do that .

 

So I don't think my parents did such a bad job

but yeah, in cities it's a whole other story I guess...

 

More on topic :

 

My mom doesn't help my little sisters to make a facebook account, but I have to say they are smart enough to set there age older...

They see: 'sorry, you have to be 13 year or older to make an account' or whatever you get and what they do => start over to make an 13 old account.

 

ps. My mom knows this and orders me to monitor it (result: I blocked facebook, netlog, etc on little sisters pc + check from time to time what they are doing) => I know a lot more of pc and facebook stuff then her so it makes sense to let me do it ).

And some social networks are even worse, for example 'netlog' ,if somebody knows it (belgium based network but has grow international) , sets you age on 13 when you enter something below 13 (not sure they still do i, checked it like 3years ago).

Think that's completely wrong

 

Exactly, If I had a child wanting access I'd rather help set it up and know what's going in and be in full control.

As you said kids will put any age down to gain access and at 8 they are smart enough to do so.

Personally blocking would not be a issue as my kids would get a family PC untill they are in the teen years and that's the one they use and if a small child had a laptop as you said blocking would have to be done.

That's where I'm coming from.

 

I think even 13 is way too young to use facebook. But parents helping the kids to join a social network that's not allowing users under 13? No, those folks don't even should have kids IMHO...

 

don't even should have kids?... (double standered?)

 

Would you rather have a child make and account and put thier age as older? Kids are smarter then you give credit and I fully support the parents who help thier kids make a profile AND keep it monitored. The ones who don't have it monitored I'll agree are faulty parents.

 

Guess we'll aggree to disagree.

[Strobel]

Would you rather have a child make and account and put thier age as older? Kids are smarter then you give credit and I fully support the parents who help thier kids make a profile AND keep it monitored. The ones who don't have it monitored I'll agree are faulty parents.

 

Guess we'll aggree to disagree.

 

Keep someone monitored while the person's using facebook? I think - and you stated it as well - that kids aren't that stupid, so there will be times when they're using facebook without their parents just because they can. So no, they must not have a facebook account imo

 

Sure, we'll agree to disagree.

[Ghostwind]

Keep someone monitored while the person's using facebook? I think - and you stated it as well - that kids aren't that stupid, so there will be times when they're using facebook without their parents just because they can. So no, they must not have a facebook account imo Sure, we'll agree to disagree.

 

You cannot protect your kids from everything, nor should you. Kids will always find a way to get what they want. As a parent, I would rather that they do something with me, than for them to do something behind my back, where I cannot stop them from doing something stupid, like meet a stranger.

[YMCMB]

You cannot protect your kids from everything, nor should you. Kids will always find a way to get what they want. As a parent, I would rather that they do something with me, than for them to do something behind my back, where I cannot stop them from doing something stupid, like meet a stranger.

 

This is my point. From my experiences it's the kids who are either sheltered from everything or let run wild that end up in trouble later on. I believe in a healthy mix of letting them explore and making their own mistakes where suitable and with them every step of the way ready to step in if needed. I'm not going to say I'm perfect but owning my own businesses meaning I don't have to work scheduled hours as my employees handle everything gives me the ability to stay home with my kid(s) which a lot of parents are unable to be there. I smoke and drink as does my husband there is never alcohol or cigarettes/lighters in our house nor will there be. We have a locked shed that's where we keep anything like that and owning a nightclub as I mentioned before gives us a place to drink. I bet a lot of you who disagree with me even smoke and/or drink in your house and I'm not saying it's wrong but just proving my point of how we are different and sure to use different methods.

 

I will go to extremes to protect my kids when they are at the FB age but I will not block the website on all computers and keep them in the house 24/7. You can not shelter your kids they need room to fall but you need to be there to pick them up. (bad metaphor but you get where I'm going)

Edited November 9, 2011 by Amber L. Winchell

[Panini*Hobbit@mp3]

After reading some of the last posts I agree with you guys a lot, maybe it is a good idea to have your children on facebook on one condition only - that one of the parents supervises the child while they're on it. As Ghostwind said the child will always find a way to get what they want, and after a while of playing the apps on facebook, they'll want to go on the computer all the time to use facebook and that can get a bit dodgy if the child starts to wander around adding people or whatnot. The best way to stop this from happening is to monitor the childs activities as Amber said and if it continues, the next step is to delete the account (Harsh but worth it).

 

I don't have any kids so I can't give my opinion on much of this but I have an 11 year old sister though. She uses the computer to watch movies and occassionally play on Club Penguin and Moshi Monsters where the majority if not all the people in her class in school are on also. I believe these sites are way better than being on Facebook at that age, if not younger, just my opinion. That being said, if she wanted to set up an account if all her friends were on it in a few years, then I'd help her make the account no problem but I'd make sure she understands everything that she does on it first. It's like when I started on Bebo a good couple of years back, my sister who's older was on it for a while and introduced me to it but first told me what to do and whatnot on it. She told me "Don't add this person and that person because you want friends, add people you know and trust" or something along those lines.. Anyways carrying on, only recently though I've noticed that my sister has been surfing through my mum's facebook, as well as my granddads (on his computer). After telling my parents (I had to) they decided that if she was found to be on facebook while on the computer, she'd get grounded and won't be able to use the computer for a month or so.

[Ghostwind]

After reading some of the last posts I agree with you guys a lot, maybe it is a good idea to have your children on facebook on one condition only - that one of the parents supervises the child while they're on it. As Ghostwind said the child will always find a way to get what they want, and after a while of playing the apps on facebook, they'll want to go on the computer all the time to use facebook and that can get a bit dodgy if the child starts to wander around adding people or whatnot. The best way to stop this from happening is to monitor the childs activities as Amber said and if it continues, the next step is to delete the account (Harsh but worth it). I don't have any kids so I can't give my opinion on much of this but I have an 11 year old sister though. She uses the computer to watch movies and occassionally play on Club Penguin and Moshi Monsters where the majority if not all the people in her class in school are on also. I believe these sites are way better than being on Facebook at that age, if not younger, just my opinion. That being said, if she wanted to set up an account if all her friends were on it in a few years, then I'd help her make the account no problem but I'd make sure she understands everything that she does on it first. It's like when I started on Bebo a good couple of years back, my sister who's older was on it for a while and introduced me to it but first told me what to do and whatnot on it. She told me "Don't add this person and that person because you want friends, add people you know and trust" or something along those lines.. Anyways carrying on, only recently though I've noticed that my sister has been surfing through my mum's facebook, as well as my granddads (on his computer). After telling my parents (I had to) they decided that if she was found to be on facebook while on the computer, she'd get grounded and won't be able to use the computer for a month or so.

 

Just to be clear, I do think that there are some hard boundaries that need to be set, but within those boundaries, there needs to be wiggle room. Kind of like holding a bird... Hold it too tightly, and you will kill it. Hold it too loosely, it will fly away. The key is to not hold it too tightly or too softly, so it neither dies or flies away. In the end it is best for parents to decide where those boundaries are, as every child is different, and can handle varying degrees of responsibility on the web.