Here's a hint: they already do.

Another ridiculous and totally needless waste of resources. And that includes this article.

If you missed it, there was a great story on NPR's Fresh Air on this topic last week:

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/24/153576212/keeping-your-kids-safe-online-its-common-sense

The guest, child advocate James Steyer, made a great point about the ubiquity of today's children having an online presence even prior to birth (how many of you know parents-to-be who share ultrasound images on Facebook?), and how that lowers the bar for bad judgment to haunt a child throughout his or her life:

"In Europe, they call this 'the right to be forgotten.' And there's been a public dialogue over the past six months or so about honoring the 'right to be forgotten.' Here in the United States, we're just starting to have that in the context of the broader privacy debate. But everybody out there understands this is an issue," he says."

The media is focusing on the under 13 aspect because they are looking to get people riled up (like "Facebook for Toddlers"). The real story is that they are giving parents some new tools to manage how their children interact on their site. Who says that parental restricted accounts could not be used to manage teens.

Deciding what your children do is a family level decision that has a different answer for every family. The more choices and controls that are available, the more options that you have to find a solution that fits your family.

have to know each child have a son that just turned 13 & has been on for about 2 yrs have another son thats 15 will not let him on because he has no filter

If you have no clue as to the permanency of Facebook or the sheer number of predators who comb through it on a regular basis then by all means feel free to have your kids post away. If you doubt this then you are just fooling yourself.

@ nevrno that maybe true, but you cant keep your children away from those creeps, I remember the predators use to hang out at malls, & places where kids would gather ( they still do) so in that cases we should stop going to malls or allowng our kids to play in parks ,But you cant keep your kids in a bubble & keep them behind on whats going on in the world. my son that is 13 is very mature & wise to the world, he pays attention on what is going on around him, & KNOWS ( also this is tought in schools now) that if someone is trying to "friend" you & you dont know them Dont friend them. there is also alot of blockers too as parents you should put on your kid accounts. But it totallly should be up to the parents & each Child is diffrent ... keep in mind my children that are sexually assulted are by people they know & trust.

* in mind many Children.....

After reading some of the comments from this site I have a new poll:
Can Adults Be Trusted To Use The Internet?

No need to worry, most kids (13-21) are using twitter...

We need to talk to each other more. You can't build the kind of personal relationships on facebook that you can when your face to face with another human being. Building relationships is what makes the world go around.

@ Cinacide its a true fact... the ones that abuse our children are more likly to NOT be stangers Or the creepy guy in the park.... its usally people they know & trust...

I see no need for kids that young to be on there. No matter how mature they may be, they should not be exposed to potential predators, bullies, etc who can reach right into their home in that way. Also, kids of that age have no clue about the dangers that can befall you if you post about where you are at a given time or post about how your family is going on vacation. Adults do this too and end up getting their houses robbed because they post that they're not home. But kids especially are not in tune at that age to how the slightest bit if info you post can bring on a dangerous outcome.

Better question: should Jon Bon Jovi be allowed to fly on Air Force One?

NO!!

NO

Question is why do young kids feel the need to use Facebook? Are they keeping touch with long lost friends? I think not. As for parents saying they always keep watch, I have seen too many risqué pictures to formulate my own conclusion. If my son needs to contact a friend, then he can use the phone.

Ironically, I think that much of the damage done on Facebook is largely self-induced, particularly by young adults. The vulgar commentary and raunchy photos people willingly put out there of themselves are now a matter of public record. Employers ABSOLUTELY scour social media when hiring so when college girls pictured in a keg stand don't get the job, they lament that "It was just a joke!" Not so funny when you're in your 30's and need to explain the photo to your kids. The longer you can keep youngsters off Facebook, the better. The argument that "They're doing it anyhow" says much more about their parenting than the child themselves.

The kids around ten n up are almost ALL on their. Obviously they use it differently tho some definitely talk to family faraway about day to day stuff much more than they would without just like we do.
I didn't want my kids on, and I wasn't the one who helped them set it up. But burying my head or expecting them to b the only one in their class NOT on is not the way IMHO. Added parental controls would be MOST welcome.

Third graders are already on there... not that they should be. Perhaps we should make sure they know how to interact with other children face to face before we allow them to be on facebook. They are still learning social skills. We should give them a chance to develop.
Why rush it?

Putting fears of child predators and inappropriate subject matter aside........electronic social media is perhaps one of the largest sources of teenage angst that exists. I've heard countless stories about, "who un-friended who"....."who said what about who"......leading to even more stress for a teenager to endure (as if being a teen wasn't enough). Now...they want to know / look into if it's okay for "little kids" to be able to extend those social stresses to their ranks? Kids....in general....can be some of the most innocent and kind beings imaginable...and yet, at the same time...they can also be some of the meanest, incredibly cruel creatures that have walked the earth. Texting, instant messaging, Facebook messages are now, for the most part, being used in place of personal face-to-face interactions. I don't think that younger kids need to access another "tool" to allow them to become increasingly socially inept.

Sorry disagree with most of you I have 3 teenagers ( 1 girl & 2 boys) facebook is just one of many tools of media that our children are part of weather or not if WE are ready for it. its part of their generation, Like with anything YOU have be smart about how you use it, You CAN not watch everything your kids do, A BIG part of the kids growing up now is that parents cuddle them forever, Never letting them learn how to maybe handle unsafe or bad situations, Kids are tought in school now all the blocks & safety features on facebook it just like how we all learned " stange danger" .... its part of being aware & growing up ... .STOP keeping your kids in a bubble, your just raising a bunch of wimpy, scared of the world around them, with no street skills at all.... ok should a child under 8 be on .... but 11,12 & 13 yr old have no problem with that.... your talking 5th grade or middle school age...

under 8 NO,

I have programs on my computers that take a screen shot every 30 seconds. I can not only review everything that they do and what is typed back and forth, but I also can limit the amount of time per day that they are on it. I simply create an account for them and time limit that account with a program that runs in the background. Limit the access to your wireless so that the children cannot be on it or block certain websites from the router. There are many ways to protect your children. If anyone would like to talk or like me to do a seminar on it, please let me know.

I believe it's up to the parent. Each parent knows whether or not their child is mature enough to handle all the intricacies of FB and other social networking sites.

Parents be warned: Friending your child on FB doesn't necessarily mean that you can see what they are writing/posting/sharing. They can block what each individual "friend" or group of friends sees/reads.

I bet you the FB parental controls will not be enabled unless you put in a credit card. Just like one of the comments above, we know this is just an opportunity for some more revenue for Zuckerberg and crew when they charge for games, etc. FB doesn't care about your child's safety. Just like Apple itunes that require parent credit card to set up an account You would think Apple would put in some kind of parental control that checks with parent before a purchase is authorized on itunes. You know that wouldn't happen because it would slow down the revenue. It's all about the $$$.

NO you do not have to pay anything to put in any types of blocks or parent controls

Girls are MUCH worse then the boys... @ Deborah it is teaching social skills, proper behavior etc... I see more 20 somethngs acting like idiots more then young teenagers. ( Drunk stupid pictures) BUT the 20 somethings are NOT the teens NOW that are learning & tought what to do & not do on FB. As Far as someone hiring or not hiring someone bcz of what they found on FB /// they should NOT have access to someones personal life, ( allowing them to stalk them) I would NEVER Give my personal information out to get into my FB account for a Job nor would I want to work for a company that even asks that. If you want to know about someone thats why they have background checks now... as parents I think most of us try to teach or children right from wrong, proper behavior, to always do the right things, Do they always act that way" NO" , BUT thats how they learn... life lessons ,

No way. My daughter wont be on there.

@ krishuhl not sure how old your daughter is, but if its not FB it Will be something else... She'll be on, & If you BAN it from your house ( where you can control it) she WILL be on without your knowledge... NOT sure why parents ( single child sydrome maybe?) are so afaid of allowing the kids to be part of the rest of the world. Its like kids that where growing up in the 50's & 60's saying " OHHHH NO we'll never allow our kids to watch TV" ... Get a grip, & trust your kids that YOU Did Did a good job & taught them right from wrong & how to handle things when your not huffering over them

aa

jerseymom - I agree that 20 something's are the most guilty of posting inappropriate photos and commentary. They, however, have only had Facebook in their lives since their late teens. The current crop of subscribers (under 18 y.o. and in too many instances younger than 12) will have the opportunity to perfect their stupidity by the time they reach 20. Also, you need not be a "Friend" of someone on Facebook to have access to their profile either. Employers standardly Google prospective employees and their Facebook link most certainly shows up...warts and all in many cases. Lastly, PARENTAL SUPERVISION cures a whole host of ills. I think that Martin O'Donnell has some prudent suggestions. I don't pretend to have the answers but I know that I watched out for my kids like a hawk. They were never dropped off at a friend's home without the parents being there and those parents were on the same page. I'm certain they weren't angels, but what was in my power to control...you bet I did just that. We taught them personal responsibility, accountability and consequence. The absolute best lessons in life one will never learn from a textbook or Facebook for that matter.

@ Deborah, agree with most of what you are saying, however I instill responsiblity. accountability & consequences & work ethic to my children, even more so since they are part of the FB Generations ( early teens) Employees that look up Peoples FB without permission seems like the ones we should be worried about stalking us, they have no right to do that. background check fne. NOT our personal life, I myself have nothing to hide, but If they checked my facebook I would ask for theirs, is it company that I really want to work for,? Are the honest people?, is this a boss from hell that is a bully or full of themselves? DO they have a criminal background ( tax fraud, etc...) ? & if they didnt want to share their info wouldnt give them mine. TIP dont use your real name on your account..
& BTW I wonder how many NOW seniors are " brain washed" from listening to Elivis or the beatles?? Bcz thats what was being said in their generation. this is about should Children under 13 be on FB & the bottom line is every child is diffrent, YOU as a parent have to know your kids, YES it would be great to get back to phones to call eachother, being outside more etc... But this is the World we live in now, Its about balance & trust, & HOPE that your have taught your kids the right things & that they hed the warnings when we are not around them looking over everything they do.

@ Deborah I have 3 teenagers & have never used a Babysitter when they where much younger their grandmother would watch them for about 2 to 3 hrs from after school to when We got home from work. the Subject is not about employees that
feel they have to right to snoop into someones personal life, It has to do with allowing Children 13 & under to be on FB I think your getting off the point & totally diffrent topic. parents need to have restrictions & safty measures put in, however, each child is diffrent, my youngest has been on since he's about 11, hes very involved in sports( orginally is why he went on) & keeps updates on whats going on with the team members, he's older now , I watched for a while, in 4 years I have seen 2 comments I didnt like & that happened 2 yrs ago.... he learned his lesson & realizes that what he does & posts will follow him forever.... WE need to trust that we are going a good job teaching out children good judgemet, By 5th Grade I dont see a problem at all with it. We have family ( he's cousin) all over NJ Fla. Pa, Cali, its a good way while they may not see eachother keeps them all connected.

Here's the thing (and its been said before) Facebook, Twitter, and any other internet options for social interaction is what you make of it /use it for. It's not some magical, mystical uncontrollable force that takes YOU over ... it's a tool for social interaction and entertainment. YOU have control as to what you reveal on it, to whom, and who can and can't contact you. There are so many kids (under 18) using Facebook and have been since the minute it became very popular.
But now Facebook might allow kids younger than 13? Personally, I think that's going a bit too far. I think 13 is a good starting age _with_ limitations on certain features (like no private instant messages; no photo avatar; no photo sharing, etc).
My niece is 12 and has had a FB page for about a year or so. However, nearly all 10-12 of her "friends" are family members, with maybe two other kids her age from school included. So her parents (and the rest of us) are OK with that situation.
If any of the rest of us feel we'd like to post stuff that might not be appropriate for her, we either block her from specific stuff we post, or we "unfriend" her - and no hard feelings. Our family has also set up a Family Group page, where ONLY the adults in our family are invited to join. There are so many ways to 'protect' the younger kids while allowing them to use FB. The key is PARENT PARTICIPATION and MONITORING. If a parent is too lazy to do that... well it's not FB's fault.

Hey jerseymom,
FB does not currently have Parental Controls in place because that's what this article is about. The article is about whether FB should grant access to kids under 13 and give their parents a way to control the content they see. Kids under 13 that are currently on FB are only on there because they lied about their age. What I'm saying is that I bet FB will incorporate a way to charge for use and requiring the parents to put in their credit card so that their children can access FB is probably the way they will go.

Lets be realistic ,which 13 year old in history ever wanted to join the club their Mom and Dad belong to?

PPL need to get a grip by 13 kids are already experincing in sex.... No need to worry about FB

These videos made me so glad my children grew up without FB, Twitter, etc. etc. They grew up and enjoyed being a kid. They enjoyed the great outdoors and fresh air, and weren't burrowed in their rooms gossiping and attacking each other. It's scary to hear what some of these kids think of their parents. They put things out there for every one to see that should not be broadcast. As for that nut with the gun,,,, I hope the authorities had a long talk with him. No one knows what goes on behind closed doors, maybe that girl had some valid reasons,,, but she needs to go about addressing her grievances in another way. Both sides should get some anger management courses. Good luck to them. My heart goes out to parents in these days, I had it easy.

I grew up as one of those kiids that where outside playing learning to resolve things on our own, rode bikes stick ball etc... & now I have teens myself, YES life was much easiler ( & funner) back then. We talked face to face with our friends & even got into aguements we resolved face to face .... A big Issue ( but not excuse) Everytime they go our riding their bikes Iam holding my breath waiting for them to get home, NOT that they are do wrong, but the way PPL Drive in Brick & Drum Point & Matalocking Road for the most part no sidewalks... MOST play grounds are restricted of when you can play in them or private, even the ball field have to be orginized sports & need a permit to play on them.... in SOME ways the things that SHOULD NOT be restricted for our kids are & the things that need MORE restrictions arent... Pray FOR US ... TO GET THREW IT :)

I can't wait until Facebook goes the way of MySpace-extinct.

In-Q-Tel is on the board of directors and this is taken from there website.
"Investing in Our Nation's Future - Our mission is to deliver leading-edge information technologies to the CIA and the Intelligence Community."

FACEBOOK & TWITTER
These are two of the most dangerous and destructive "social media" ever to exist. They can become terminally addictive, waste a LOT of your time, lower your IQ, increase your weight, reduce your attention span, and isolate you from real world discovery and genuine face-to-face communication. Together with texting, they support bullying and harassment among school children.   

Facebook can facilitate identity theft, and learns much more about you than you would care to have known.  It also harbors predators!

Thus, "FarceCrook" is the worst of the sociopathic "nut-works". 

Thus you are doing the same thing here on The Patch, dont hate.

Anywho, I have had nothing but good things happen with facebook. I play it safe with pictures and posts, and have made connections blah blah blah. Back in my "tween" day, it was AIM (America Online Instant Messenger (RIP)). There, I had more sexual predators messenging me more than i could count. We were able to talk to complete strangers, transfer pictures, and have the options of going into "Chat Rooms", a cespool for sexual predators. Tweens and teens today obviously have a different attitude since then and run thier lives off of facebook. Should they be allowed on? Yes, of course. I personnally have gotten help from classmates for homework and formed study groups (while in college), and it wouldn't have happened without facebook. But the saying still goes------------ready--------

ITS UP TO THE PARENTS, TO PARENT THIER CHILDREN. No you are not thier friend, you are thier parent. Do your job and control thier activities within reason.