What age is "normal" to get a Facebook page?

[Acklander]

I'm in the "not a question until 13" crowd...Good post mamacatnv!!

DD13 just got hers. I am not "friends" with her, nor is she allowed to have anyone not her age on her account (except grandmas and aunt). I don't have kids on mine at all either. Adults often say things not realizing that a kid could be in the audience. So, it's best for us to stick with your own age. i do moniter regularly since I have her password, etc. So far, no problems.

This is why I said I'm comfortable with how its being used for my family. Being that we all got involved specifically to keep in touch with extended family, it's pretty much G rated, and almost all filled with family gossip, how's school going, photos from grandma's vacation, a cute you tube link and word twist challenges.

 

[We_Love_Disney]

I might be in the minority, but I would say it is unnecessary until at least high school age (14/15).

Also agree 100%! And stress the 'at least' portion of it.

 

[krcit]

I'm in the "not a question until 13" crowd...Good post mamacatnv!!

DD13 just got hers. I am not "friends" with her, nor is she allowed to have anyone not her age on her account (except grandmas and aunt). I don't have kids on mine at all either. Adults often say things not realizing that a kid could be in the audience. So, it's best for us to stick with your own age. i do moniter regularly since I have her password, etc. So far, no problems.

I'm the same as you. I do not have any children/teens as friends, including my dd. When dd got hers, she did not want to give me her info and instead said "Just friend me." Nope, not gonna happen. There is just some stuff on there that I don't want her to see, nothing crazy but just inappropriate for my 15 year old to read. To each their own but that is what I'm comfortable with.

 

[Momvic5]

I actually enjoy having my ds14 on my account. My FB account is G-rated, and if someone is questionable...I hide them. In fact, FB has been the best tool for finding out who some of my son's friends are. I don't personally know many of his friends from school, but FB has allowed me to get to know some of them through their pictures and posts. It has actually been very helpful at times. Just last week, a girl texted my son a few very "forward" statements. Together he and I looked her up on FB as she was friends with one of his friends. Now, at least I know who she is. I have full access to my son's account, but very seldom do I log on to it. I do; however, visit his profile daily from my account. I keep up with who his friends are and will occassionally visit some of his friends' profiles. I like that I have some access to his friends....both those I have met and those I haven't.

 

[leagirl12]

I just think it is hypocritical that parents will follow one rule and not the others...It's ok if Facebook parents for you telling you your child can't have one until they are 13 but it isn't ok if they tell you it is against their rules to access other people's accounts...

Me as an adult not following a rule to PROTECT my child vs. allowing and actually encouraging my child to out right lie are two different things. I am willing to bet all those kids under 13 that have accounts have no idea that Facebook says not to share your password info with anyone but they ALL know they LIED to open their account.

Heck I have had an account for a few years and I didn't know their was something out there that actually said not to share your password info.

 

[jenrose66]

My kids are still way young for that stuff. I have nieces and nephews on DH's side that have them and they are 9 and 10. I personally don't see the need...I don't even have a facebook page...

 

[xanphylus]

My DD is 9 and she wants one very badly- to play games on! She does not care for any of the stuff anyone writes on mine and doesn't read any of it- just goes straight to my games and works on my frontier and mousehunt and all that stuff. I have told her no to having her own account for the time being, but seeing as all she does it play the games, she might get her own soon. I also told her, if she gets her own account, I will have the password and no one is added as a friend without my permission and I will heavily monitor the account. I think a lot of it has to do with the maturity of the child and how you monitor it's use- just like anything else in this world. Watch your kids and guide them and show them what is right.... although getting and "illegal" facebook page for an underage kid is kinda going the wrong way about it, but I am the parent, not facebook.

 

[Northstar]

My 12-year-old DD uses Facebook, but I actually don't regard her page as a violation of the terms of use because, the way I see, I am actually the owner of her account. I just let her use it, under my conditions.

One of my email accounts was used to open the page, so if Facebook ever came looking for the person who signed up, they'd find me. I have the password. I monitor the page and have been known to delete bad language (doesn't bother me if her friends use bad language, but I've told her I regard FB posts as public and I don't want her using bad language in public communication). I work with her on the privacy settings. Basically, I take full responsibility for the page.

This is not an argument against those of you who think 12 is too young for other reasons, just a different view of what it means for a 12-year-old to be "on Facebook."

 

[disneydance]

I got mine when I was 14 and in 9th grade. I got to stay in contact with friends from church and with my friends who are homeschooled. My parents were ok with it with the deal that I had to be there friends so they could monitor my wall and pictures. They don't know my password and haven't asked for it. I'm 16 now and in 11th and use it very regularly so stay in touch with friends.

 

[aprilgail2]

DD#1 is in fifth grade and a few of her friends have pages, but DD isn't getting one for at least another year. I'm curious what's a good age for this.

I know 4th and 5th graders with them, although I also know 2nd graders with cell phones, so go figure!

5th grade is when most of the kids around here started getting them. My friends daughter got a cell ohone for graduation---KINDERGARTEN graduation---nuts......
I was really surprised when all of my daughters friends and kids that I knew from being involved with her school friended me (along with other moms!)- I don't post anything inappropriate on my page nor does anyone I am friends with so I had no problem accepting them. Most of the kids also have most of their friends parents as their friends on their facebooks. I also log onto my daughters facebook all the time just to see her page and messages.

 

[BabyTigger99]

My DS (who will be 11 in two week) has had a Facebook for about a month. Like someone else put, he mainly uses it to play games. He does have a few friends from school, and family members. I have the password to it, and he knows that I will monitor.

He also has a cell phone, too. Got it when he started walking to and from school on his own.

 

[KiminChicago]

Right now, both of my children have FB accounts. However, I know the passwords and I've gone in and set up the security as tight as I can. DH has also set up their email accounts so that whatever gets sent to them is also forwarded to us. DS is 13, DD is 11. We'll discontinue the monitoring once they're a little older.

DD was allowed to set up her account earlier than we would have liked simply because the dance team she was on disbanded this year (long story there lol), and after dancing with the other girls for three years, she wanted to be able to stay in touch. I felt it was easier for me to monitor what was going on with FB rather than a cell phone.

 

[Ppufi]

13. Before that, you can go to the playground to get the gossip and chat with friends.

 

[LilyWDW]

13, just like federal law requires.

Don't think facebook just pulled that age out of thin air. Facebook falls within the federal law that requires all users to be 13 or older to access the content. By lying to get an underaged person on facebook you are putting facebook into a situation where they can get into a LOT of trouble... as can the person who lied.

 

[mamacatnv]

13, just like federal law requires.

Don't think facebook just pulled that age out of thin air. Facebook falls within the federal law that requires all users to be 13 or older to access the content. By lying to get an underaged person on facebook you are putting facebook into a situation where they can get into a LOT of trouble... as can the person who lied.

Really? That is interesting, I've never heard that but it adds fuel to the age limit argument. Do you have a source for this? I'm very curious

I'm always amazed at the justifications people use to break the rules.

 

[Anjelica]

Really? That is interesting, I've never heard that but it adds fuel to the age limit argument. Do you have a source for this? I'm very curious

I'm always amazed at the justifications people use to break the rules.

It has something to do with collecting personal information on people who are younger than 13 - Federal law states you can't (or something similar). Since you must enter your Birthdate to get an account from facebook the law covers that under "personal information".

I'll see if I can find the exact verbiage, etc.

As some folks have stated - Facebook didn't pull that out of thin air.

 

[Anjelica]

Found it - snippet below:

http://www.ftc.gov/privacy/privacyinitiatives/childrens.html

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act

The primary goal of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule is to give parents control over what information is collected from their children online and how such information may be used.

The Rule applies to:

Operators of commercial Web sites and online services directed to children under 13 that collect personal information from them;


Operators of general audience sites that knowingly collect personal information from children under 13; and


Operators of general audience sites that have a separate children’s area and that collect personal information from children under 13.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

DS14 just got a page a few weeks ago. He is a freshman in high school.

I set up the account for him, and I did all of the security settings. He knows I have the password. I do not log into his account very often. On occasion I will log in and browse through his news feed just to monitor. His Wall is very tame. So far the worst I have found on his News Feed is profanity. The majority of his friends are kids, but he also has family and other adults as friends so I am not the only one keeping an eye on him.

He uses it mostly for Chat. He doesn't update his status much, he doesn't play any of the games, and I told him I would prefer that he NOT do the Applications. He does Theater so I helped him post pics from his Spring show and his summer camp, and some pics from Band.

So far it has been fine. He is not allowed to get on FB during the week unless ALL of his homework is finished, so he is mostly on it over the weekend.

 

[beattyfamily]

Didn't let my DD till this past Christmas. She was 13 1/2. I would not let my children get one before age 13. I wanted to wait longer but all of her friends had them and that's how they stay in touch. So after much begging, I gave in.

I have her password and I am her 'friend'. Only way I'd let her.

I keep an eye on her. I cannot believe the things some of her classmates say and post and it's quite obvious their parents aren't keeping an eye on them.

 

[mamacatnv]

Found it - snippet below:

http://www.ftc.gov/privacy/privacyinitiatives/childrens.html

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act

The primary goal of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule is to give parents control over what information is collected from their children online and how such information may be used.

The Rule applies to:

Operators of commercial Web sites and online services directed to children under 13 that collect personal information from them;


Operators of general audience sites that knowingly collect personal information from children under 13; and


Operators of general audience sites that have a separate children’s area and that collect personal information from children under 13.

Thanks for that, I didn't know such a law existed.
So parents who willfully violate or allow their children to violate FB's terms of service are ultimately endangering FB or any other website with same rules as well as IMO setting a bad example for their kids.