Facebook and under age 13 children

Several parents stopped by to voice their concerns about their children under 13 using Facebook.

The Facebook terms of service dictate that members be at least 13  years old to set up an account. A recent Consumer Reports survey indicates that as many as 7.5 million Facebook users are  under 13, and 5 million of those kids are under 10. Either they, or their
parents, simply lied about their age to set up the account.

Facebook requires individuals to be at least 13 years old before they can create an account. Providing false information to create an account is always a violation of Facebook's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. This includes accounts registered on the behalf of under 13 year old children by older parties.

“A million kids were bullied on Facebook in the last year," Jeff Fox, technology editor at Consumer Reports, told FoxNews.com upon the release of the study. "A 10-year-old is not well-equipped to deal with those things.”

"What's even more troubling was the finding from our survey that indicated that a majority of parents of kids 10 and under seemed largely unconcerned by their
children's use of the site."

If your underage child (child under the age of 13) has created an account on Facebook, you can show them how to delete their account by having them log into their account and following this link.

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7.5 million Facebook users below minimum age

A survey published in the June issue of  Consumer Reports found that "of the 20 million minors who actively use Facebook," 7.5 million were younger than 13 and more than five million were younger than 10. Facebook's terms of service require that users be at least 13.

The report tracks with other studies including a 2010 study by McAfee that found 37 percent of 10 to 12 year olds are on Facebook and a study (PDF) released in April from the London School of Economics EU Kids Online project that found that 38 percent of 9- to 12-year-old European children used social-networking sites, with one in five using Facebook, "rising to over 4 in 10 in some countries."

Jeff Fox, technology editor for Consumer Reports, said it was troubling that the survey found "a majority of parents of kids 10 and under seemed largely unconcerned by their children's use of the site." In a press statement, Consumer Reports said that "Using Facebook presents children and their friends and family with safety, security and privacy risks" and that, "In the past year, the use of Facebook has exposed more than five million online U.S. households to some type of abuse including virus infections, identity theft, and—for a million children—bullying."

In an statement issued ahead of the report's release, Facebook said that "recent reports have highlighted just how difficult it is to implement age restrictions on the Internet and that there is no single solution to ensuring younger children don't circumvent a system or lie about their age." The company said that "we appreciate the attention that these reports and other experts are giving this matter and believe this will provide an opportunity for parents, teachers, safety advocates, and Internet services to focus on this area, with the ultimate goal of keeping young people of all ages safe online."

Source: CNet

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-19518_3-20061298-238.html#ixzz1LwdmFCyw

Facebook Privacy Settings

Be aware of your Privacy Settings when using Facebook. Set your preferences to protect your information.

Once logged in look in the upper left corner and click once on Account, then click on Privacy Settings



Select each area individually to check the settings with "Connecting on Facebook"



Select each area individually to check the settings with "Sharing on Facebook"



Select each area individually to check the settings with "Apps, Games and Websites"



For more information click on Contolling How You Share and read the sections to better understand how information is dis