Facebook for children - How old should they be before they get an account?

Delaney - posted 3 days ago

Hi, I'm twelve, and I think as long as you monitor her usage, it should be fine. I got mine last year, and the deal was if somebody sent me a friend request, my mom had to okay it. If I sent them a request, it was fine. Technically, your supposed to be 13, but next to nobody actually follows that rule. In fact, my eight year old cousin has one, but her mom is monitoring. In my opinion, twelve is to young, because they dont know internet security. If you allow your girl to get one, set it up with her, and show her around, give her the grand tour, and teach her about internet security, dont forget to alter the privacy settings!

Brionna Cachreece - posted 4 days ago

hey

Gothie - posted on 05/27/2013

my cousin is 8 and has a facebook and she is not monitored at all.Her dad baught he a laptop for her birthday. I think my Aunt should do something about this and she wont I know she wont. At that age I remember I was told to go outside and play or if it was too cold out to watch television.what has this world come too

Amy - posted on 05/16/2013

my daughter is only 9 and she has one

Renata De Carvalho - posted on 04/01/2013

Facebook has got a policy for that: kids shouldn´t have an account till they are 13. Why breaking the rules with something like that? It is teaching the wrong lesson for something stupid, isn´t it? Facebook is not vital at all, we can perfectly survive without it and so can kids under 13.

Kelysie - posted on 03/31/2013

Well i believe 12 is old enough to get a Facebook my daughter is 13 now and she has had a Facebook since 12 and a half she seems to be doing fine. I do monitor her account from time to time though my daughter Mandy (11) has decided to make her own Facebook without my permission so she doesnt get a Facebook till 14 many other parents let there kids get on Facebook at the age of 8! I think this addictive website is too young for them! I believe the correct age is 12 and a half. Keep in mind lately Facebook has been earsing accounts who they believe are under 14! My other daughter Anna was one of them she is 14 now she had a Facebook at 12 and a half and it got earsed be sure you are watching what your kids post! But dont be a stalker mom maybe check it once every 2 weeks that would be reasonable.

Miette - posted on 03/18/2013

Ramatoulaye - posted on 02/01/2013

i think 12 because they are big now

Ramatoulaye - posted on 02/01/2013

i dont think its to young for them to have one because som pepol need ther frinds are family maybe they whant to see ther family

Dina Sayna - posted on 01/27/2013

of course they should. i love my dauther,and i let her have one.

Valerie - posted on 01/23/2013

i don´t think kids should have Facebook, because it´s addictive, inappropriate, there´s a lot of hacking and it´s dangerous for my child.

Mady - posted on 01/06/2013

you have to be 13 but maybe i think 12

but it doesnt delete your account when you diactivate it
you should check it incase of strangers chatting or stuff
like that

Mady - posted on 01/06/2013

you have to be 13 but maybe i think 12

but it doesnt delete your account when you diactivate it
you should check it incase of strangers chatting or stuff
like that

Keisha - posted on 01/04/2013

i think they should

Natalie - posted on 12/30/2012

cant you give to me

Alyssa Charmina - posted on 12/29/2012

facebook has a very strict rule that all members MUST be at least 13.I let my daughter Helena have one at 10 but within a week she got kicked off because somehow they found out she was 10.I wouldn't risk it.I feel it is our job as moms to help our kids obey the rules,and facebook is just one of them.I am going to let Helena get one on her 13th birthday,as I will with my other daughter,Karina,when the time comes.DONT let your daughter have a facebook.she may be upset with you because other people may have them,but you need to realize their parents are bad parents for letting them lie to a strictly teen and adult website.trust me,there's probrably more kids than your daughter thinks that don't havea facebook.be a good parent.don't let her

Mimi - posted on 11/26/2012

well sweetie i think you have to be 12 to go on it so you arefine

Nica - posted on 11/23/2012

hi, a little advice from a computer programmer. children are on FB from the age of 8. yes, 8. mine started when she was 9 because all her friends and cousins had an account. my advice is: 1) know their password and check on their chats and email at least once a week. check their friends too. you don't need to tell them you are spying!!!!! 2) my biggest advice is do you know how to use a computer? if not, don't give them an account. if you know than it is easy to check on them. what you should check constantly is the security settings because they change constantly. don't put their pics on the home page because this could attract pedophiles. mine had a flower. if they want to share pics with friends, check that the security settings are for friends only. also, check that no one apart from their friends can see their wall and posts. I have seen many accounts owned by little children that had no security and were open to all because parents cannot use computers. one of them is my niece, she has nice parents, they are both teachers but are both very bad with computers. so I check on her account from time to time. if you cannot use a pc I would advise you to take a course because these days children live on the internet and you cannot stop their modern life by preventing them access. the best thing to do is to give in and be smart.

Shabria - posted on 11/22/2012

how old do you think is a good age for fb

Shabria - posted on 11/22/2012

i think 10 is a good age for a child to get a fb only if they are responceable enough like my daughther is very responcable and i'm letting her get one maybe?

Zoe - posted on 11/17/2012

well my daughter says the same thing so we made a deal the i let her get one i just have to know everthing she does

Hannah - posted on 11/06/2012

Yes they should.

Aniyah - posted on 10/19/2012

hi

Stephanie - posted on 10/17/2012

I think children usually get facebook accounts around 10 or 12 years old these days. Otherwise, most of their friends are at school or in the neighborhood where they are, especially before that time. But there could be a younger and younger crowd being that nowadays more and more younger crowd knows how to use the computer and no one really plays in the parks and goes outside anymore, except to go out and continue checking messages. Really? Is it that important that it can't wait one second?

Willow - posted on 10/16/2012

You've already kind of answered your own question, "I think 12 is too young." All her friends having an account has nothing to do with your family's morals.

Consider this before you decide: does your kid know how to use the internet properly? Has anyone told her the dangers of being young on the internet? Does she know better than to click on ads or Chain mails that may have a virus?

If she really only wants it to play games, there is no reason she can't continue using your account. If she wants to keep in touch with friends/family she doesn't see often and you think she is ready, go for it. But monitor her by insisting you are one of her 'friends'.

Make rules like only friending people she knows face to face, limiting time and only allowing time after school work and/or family time is done.

Facebook can get out of hand really fast. I'm even guilty of surfing peoples pages instead of doing what I originally set out to do on the computer. But by letting your kid have an account you may be showing her you trust her and that you acknowledge she is growing up.

Nicola - posted on 10/14/2012

Biggest mistake I ever made allowing Facebook accounts, their homework goes out the window in high school

Juanpablo - posted on 10/13/2012

kk

Josselyn - posted on 10/08/2012

Well my daughter is 13 now and when she was 11 all her friends started getting facebook accounts.. at first I would not let her have one and then I finally decided she could. I had her email and password to her facebook and I checked it anytime. Now that she is 13 I don't check it anymore. She's responsable with it and I've never had any problems with her. Now with some of her friends I have made her delete them for posting not appropriate things. Like statuses using bad language or one of her friends posted a picture of her and a few other girls blowing up condoms. I'm thinking how in the world!!!! Haha.

Jenny - posted on 10/08/2012

i think they should get a fb because it kees them connected to there friends and they are not feeling left out from all the other kids who have a fb.

Max - posted on 09/04/2012

YES YES YES PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Max - posted on 09/04/2012

YES YES YES PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Olivia - posted on 08/28/2012

i think that kids around 12 should have one because that is te age of some people say maturity cause that is when they dont get kid menues thats also when they are useully are in middle school and are right in the midle of teenager years and kid years so, 12 year olds should hav enough trust with their arent to get one i think all iit really is is TRUST!!!!!!!!!

Olivia - posted on 08/28/2012

i think that kids around 12 should have one because that is te age of some people say maturity cause that is when they dont get kid menues thats also when they are useully are in middle school and are right in the midle of teenager years and kid years so, 12 year olds should hav enough trust with their arent to get one i think all iit really is is TRUST!!!!!!!!!

Anita - posted on 08/02/2012

My daughter deleted her account at 18 because of preditors and basically she said its a waste of time as a Christian . I do not like facebook and i encourage you to not to go down that road with your child.

Jenny - posted on 07/26/2012

I allowed my kids to have them at 10 I think, more to talk to gramma and the other family who doesn't live around here. MY rules are: 1) I get passwords and access any time I see fit (do I remember them nope have to ask for them anytime I want but they know I will look- same deal with their cell phones) 2) they must accept friend requests from ANY person who is a friend of mine. - us moms all keep together in this - monitoring each others kids, letting them know when someone is being inappropriate (one friends daughter constantly posting inappropriate discussions and then deleting them before mom got home... ended up calling mom at work one day cause it got so bad- she logged on to read at work and was quite surprised!) Also found that Gramma being a friend helps the inappropriate song postings and the apps that auto post. 12 year old at one point had an app that posted something about sex and gramma posted WHAT?! and it was gone! 3) No strangers 4) they need to make sure they wouldn;t say something on line they wouldnt say if I was in the room- if you can;t say it outloud you shouldnt say it online. 5) I check facebook regularly -- if someone is posting things inappropriately and it shows up on their wall I make them delete that person. Now with that it is more the pictures I found one day on another boys wall that was a problem than the language...

Learn to pick your battles. Facebook and kids is a way of life now. They don't talk on the phone they text or facebook people... is it better - no but it is the way things are these days! Monitor... and have consequences for infractions!

Elizabeth - posted on 07/10/2012

I have finally given in when it comes to facebook. My daughters are ten and 11 almost 12. Here is what I do. I monitor everything...what they post, who they post it to. I know who is on their friends list. The rule is, that is you post something that I don't like or you abuse your privilege of the account, you lose it. Period. I don't allow them to have cell phones so this is the alternative in keeping in touch with their friends over the summer.

Angle - posted on 07/10/2012

yes

Angle - posted on 07/10/2012

yes!

Nelly - posted on 06/19/2012

Facebook rules are 13 years old. However at our house we allow our children to get a faebook account when they start highschool. We know their email adress and passwords and everything is monitored they if thy post or receive anything inappropriate then we will delete their account.

Tracey - posted on 06/12/2012

the rules are 13years of age. My son is 16 and we only have the internet in the living room. It's safer and keeps my mind at rest.

Cindy - posted on 05/30/2012

I think we let my son got his at about 14 yo. (which was the legal requirement from fb). While I let him have his own password, my rules are that 1) he had to friend me; 2) at any time I could ask him to sign in so I could review his account. I don't think I ever have....as he often leaves his account signed on to the computer when I use it and I will just scroll down a day or so to see what is up. I use fb a lot and am familiar with its ins and outs (such as how he could exclude me from seeing his posts lol). For a teen he seems to use it less than most. It's amazing (not in a good way) some of what I see some of the other teens have posted.

Before you let your daughter loose, do review some security rules with her, especially about posting pictures and personal info that a predator could use against her. Inevitably she will friend people that are 'friends of friends' that she doesn't know irl and that can be dangerous.

Amanda - posted on 04/26/2012

I do not think 12 is too young now a days. It is a great tool to get kids socializing with other kids at school. My younger sister was painfully shy with other kids until she joined facebook. she found it easier to tal to the kids online and have become great friends at school with them. Add them as a friend and watch over her interactions.

Mrs. TGI - posted on 04/23/2012

I thinks its too young..it scares me everytime I see a child on facebook under 13...and even then they still need to be heavily monitored..don't be fooled there are still alot of perverts and weirdo out there who are looking to persuade your children to meet with them.

Karen - posted on 04/19/2012

My son who is 11 would love a FB account. I've told him no. Simply put I see too many of my friends who have kids let them have accounts then get shocked when problems start. Until he's older he can play games on sites that are social medias. Like cool math or abc games.

Susan - posted on 04/19/2012

According to the Facebook requirements the appropriate age for children to sign up is 13. Not sure I agree, but would probably be ok as long as PARENTS are MONITORING their kids account activity.

Chelsea - posted on 04/18/2012

I don't believe it's appropriate to lie about your childs age so they can have a facebook account.

Once they are old enough, I would allow my daughters one since we have many long distance friends and family. But I would also be very strict about their usage. No friends that I don't already know and approve of. No inappropriate comments/photos/language. Once they are older and have earned my trust then the rules may become more relaxed.

Kristy - posted on 04/11/2012

I have 10 year old twin boys and they have facebook accounts. Many of their classmates are their friends, some teachers, etc. Mostly they love to play the games that are on facebook. One's in boxing and he communicates with his fellow boxers in the club on facebook. Not sure if there's anything a young one could get into on facebook that would be detrimental, but there's plenty they get into that they really enjoy.

Alison - posted on 03/27/2012

Legally I believe its 13, but of course you can tell them your dob is anything, who's going to check? I am friends with my kids & many their friends so I can see what they do and when, but it doesnt stop them having a secret profile or accounts with other social sites you dont know about.

Kelly - posted on 03/27/2012

My daughter has had one since she was 10 due to out of town family. It is a protected account that nobody con see unless approved as a friend. She is 13 now and the trouble has begun. Itis out of control what the kids say to each other in middle school. I have told that she is not allowed any innappropriate material on her page. That includes song downloads that are less that middle school appropriate. Now she is livid that I still have her password. She thinks 13 means privacy should be allowed. I won't allow it. There were just 4 boys at her school that were a victim of a guy names Nazzaro pretending to be a girl named sarah. He was getting cell numbers from boys and getting them to send photos. He was caught they boys had to testify and the school sent out a notificationt o talk to the kids about sharing of personal info, adding friends and especially sending pictures. SOCIAL MEDIA is a world kids do not understand and they need to be watched.

Kristen - posted on 12/02/2011

Facebook has a minimum age of 13 and when my daughter was 10 yr old she was actually kicked off for being underage. I have reactivated an account for her and her brother. It is my BEST view into their middle school world. All their friends are on there and I learn pretty much everything that is going on with all those kids. I am "friends" with both of my children, and I log onto their accounts regularly so I can see everything they see. I have responded to their friends' inappropriate comments, and made them un-friend a few kids. Their coaches and club leaders use it to communicate, too. I have found it a great tool for middle school age (11-14), and we have no problems.

Simone - posted on 12/01/2009

my daughter is the same age and she is not having a facebook account. me myself i think it's way to young and kids should not have facebook. she can't have a myspace either, she has a msn but she only has school friends and family on that so im fine with that. you have to watch your children on those web sites, these adults on there playing as kids, 1 asked my daughter how big are her breasts so i banned her from going on it. so just watch what shes on.