by Lady of Lake Merritt ...
Member since:
July 15, 2009

Age Limit for Joining Social Networking Sites?

November 02, 2009 05:01 PM EST (Updated: November 02, 2009 05:02 PM EST)
views: 292 | rating: 9/10 (17 votes) | comments: 41

I'm watching HLN and they asked a great question. Let me para-phrase it:

Should there be an age limit for children to join Facebook/MySpace or any other social networking site?

I believe there should be and so do Facebook and MySpace, their age limit is 13years old but of course kiddies younger than that lie about their age to join up. I know a 10 year old girl who did exactly that. Her mother didn't know and when the mother did find out she didn't care.

Well, what's the worst that could happen? For this Girl, T, at 10 years old and in 4th grade, she got into a disagreement with some "friends" from school, one who had her MySpace info. The other girl got into T's account, changed the password and began posting all kinds of craziness. T's mom had to get the school involved to resolve it.

Children will behave based on emotions and not think things through. They also don't realize the immense dangers lurking in the cyber-world. I think the most important thing is for parents to closely monitor what their children are doing online, that will have the largest impact, more so than having an age limit for a website.

So what do you think? Should there be an age limit for children to join Facebook/MySpace or any other social networking site?

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Comments: 41

Katharyne T. Nov 2, 2009, 5:06pm EST
I sure do, they should be at the least 18, to many young children using these sites. I was searching myspace and found my 12 year old stepdaughter.. im dev from her dad now and she lives in FL. anyway she was on there under 18sexyandhot was here page.. I used a picture image search. Of course I called her mother and she changed her name, but is still on there
Lady of Lake Merritt ... Nov 2, 2009, 5:13pm EST
OMG!!!!!!!!!
Holly K. Nov 2, 2009, 5:10pm EST
Yes, definitely. But, of course, kids will lie.
Neither one of mine have or will ever have a MySpace account~
All 3 of us are on Facebook and I did make FI wait until she was 13~ our profiles are set to private and nonsearchable~ this way I can keep an eye on them~ lol ;)

13 is a reasonable age limit~
MySpace is gross~been there hated t~ left
Thanks for posting to gutterGirls~
13 for Facebook is what I meant~

Nasty MySpace shouldn't even be an option for anyone under 21~ yucky
Lady of Lake Merritt ... Nov 2, 2009, 5:12pm EST
I agree. MySpace is so full of fuu-fuu fluff, it's like a church I use to attend where members cared more about what brands eachother wore than the sermons.

I'm on FB but that's it.
Cathi L. Nov 2, 2009, 7:25pm EST
Both of MINE have MySpace and Facebook but they are 19 and 22. Both have pretty much lost interest in them. MySpace was the site of choice for deployed soldiers to Iraq and it was how we kept in touch with many of them. Some that didn't make it back, their families have left the page up as a memorial. One we were pretty close to and it always gets me when I check his MySpace page. Before he was killed, he put up Michael Buble's song I Want To Go Home.

I maintain a page at both sites. Most of the scouts I had worked with have MySpace AND Facebook and we keep in touch that way, even it is to send something silly, it's nice to be remembered.

Facebook has better controls than MySpace so I'd agree the younger can be on Facebook before MySpace. Some day you guys ought to check out the pages that are MINE!!!!
Joanne Vicente Nov 2, 2009, 5:10pm EST
I think 18 is a reasonable age. After all, people do and say some wild things on those sites, and, as you pointed out, kids can get into difficult situations and not know what to do. If there are specific sites for kids, maybe that would be appropriate, with some oversight from the managers of the site so they wouldn't get into anything too bizarre!
Elizabeth O. Nov 2, 2009, 5:15pm EST
My child thinks I'm waaaay to old to be on social networking sites...(its soooo gross, Mom). I wouldn't let her have anything before she was 13 and then only set to private, as are mine. We are both on Facebook. She's on Myspace, but I have someone who's her 'friend' keep an eye on it and keep me apprised of the situation.
Jennifer K. Nov 2, 2009, 5:24pm EST
That's a very good idea.
Marsha S. Nov 2, 2009, 5:16pm EST
if you want my opinion, 13 is too young....and yes, loads of kids lie about their birth year to join
I'm trying to get my now 13 yr old to join here though so that she too can earn gift cards.
Maurice K. Nov 2, 2009, 5:16pm EST
I'm in favor of 18 as an age, largely for the reasons that Joanne mentioned.

I have pages on Facebook and Myspace, but I've largely abandoned Myspace because it looks and feels cheap. I check into Facebook once daily; I spend far more time on Gather.
Roger B. Nov 2, 2009, 5:17pm EST
A most emphatic YESSS! Kids can be extremely vulnerable on line and there are child predators all over the social sites.

-R.
Rick S. Nov 2, 2009, 5:18pm EST
Age limits will probably turn out to be unenforceable.

There's a simple solution to these kinds of problems. Parents should have a good enough relationship with their kids that they can make the decision as to when the kids are old enough.
Lady of Lake Merritt ... Nov 3, 2009, 5:37am EST
i agree!
Jennifer K. Nov 2, 2009, 5:23pm EST
I don't belong to either Facebook or MySpace. I used to have a MySpace account but I never used it. My husband went on Facebook because he has realtives in New York that are on it. I worry way to much about my kids to let them go on any of those sites yet, but they are only 9 and 6. I think 16 might be a better age limit, but kids will lie to get on any of those sites if they really want to. I don't like the kids watching UTube with their cousins either, but they look at off the wall crap.
Jennifer K. Nov 2, 2009, 5:26pm EST
I watch the sites that my kids go to on-line. I had to check out Webkinzs before I even bought one for my kids. There are way too many pedophiles that now hunt for children on those sites.
Jane C. Nov 2, 2009, 5:37pm EST
I think there should be a limit. There's too many dirtbags out there looking for kids.
Len Maxwell Nov 2, 2009, 5:39pm EST
Kids will lie, there's no stopping that so it comes back to parental responsibility. It's responsible for networking sites to set an age limit, but the parents are ultimately responsible for what their kids do.
timi A. Nov 2, 2009, 5:50pm EST
Of course there should be age limit. Even where there seem to be age limit, the kids still go crazy with immaturity, even at 18
timi A. Nov 2, 2009, 5:52pm EST
They should include a parental thing where only the parents would be able to answer the question or something because kids lie in identity and every other way, so, there is no knowing who is who on the internet.
phil w. Nov 2, 2009, 5:51pm EST
There should be age limitations for sure .depends on the site .
Vickie Roberts Nov 2, 2009, 6:36pm EST
Good post Amy!
I say 16.
I live with friends her daughter is 15
talking to and has been caught with the male that is several years older.
We try to watch over her but still not working.
She is so nieve
Kathryn E. Nov 2, 2009, 7:15pm EST
Federal law dictates this. Children UNDRE 13 cannot join. Children under 18 on Gather MUST have guarded viewing.
Lady of Lake Merritt ... Nov 3, 2009, 5:38am EST
i wonder how many obey that
Tiffany v. Nov 2, 2009, 7:33pm EST
Absolutely, positively YES!!! MySpace should never be allowed if you are under 21. The stuff there is horrid. Facebook I would say 16 to 18 or older depending on maturity. My son is not allowed a regular laptop. He is having my old one after my hubby puts a ton of parental controls and setting on it.
Beth - Doing God's work Daily J. Nov 2, 2009, 7:47pm EST
Thanks for sharing on Getting to 3000 Together..
Heather E. Nov 2, 2009, 8:11pm EST
I think it needs to be older than 13, but people do lie. Like my former dil who helped her 11 year old lie and set up a 13 profile. I do not know why she was surprised when the little munchkin lied and said she was 17 and started giving her information out to men all over the US.
Lady of Lake Merritt ... Nov 3, 2009, 5:39am EST
ignorance is bliss... no, ignorance is ignorant
Austin Cushing Nov 2, 2009, 10:11pm EST
This comment is to let you know that this content has lost its perfect 10 status, and is no longer the Best of the Worst! Thank you for posting!
Janell R. Nov 2, 2009, 10:54pm EST
Hmm.. I guess I'd have input if I had kids, but I don't really know. I suppose some age limit, but I don't know what would be a good one.
Lady of Lake Merritt ... Nov 3, 2009, 5:39am EST
;)
Gary L. Nov 3, 2009, 2:08am EST
My daughters are 25, but they use facebook for shareing family photos.
Its actually nice since one of them is on the road alot and send pics from her cell phone camera.
There are also pics of my grandkids on there, but we are all set to "private" which keeps the predators out.
Age SHOULD be set at 18 to join.
DIANE D. Nov 3, 2009, 8:48am EST
I agree~
DIANE D. Nov 3, 2009, 8:47am EST
Children should not be able to join.
dreama e. Nov 3, 2009, 9:40am EST
Yes there should be an age limit, I know of a place that you have to send in ID for your kids to join to make sure they are not over 18 so that they can't become prey for the sick
Christina K. Nov 3, 2009, 1:30pm EST
I agree there should definitely be an age limit, but I am undecided what a good age would be. Alot depends on the maturity level of the individual, and its ultimately up to the parents to know what their kids are doing.
Debra C. Nov 3, 2009, 11:59pm EST
Absolutely. It should also require a parent's authorization (I remember Hotmail required an adult credit card or similar for someone under their minimum age to set up an account at one time).
Debra C. Nov 3, 2009, 11:59pm EST
While that could be done by a kid, one can hope.
DarkBeauty 73 Nov 10, 2009, 12:14pm EST
I think there should be an age limit, what that limit should be is another thing. I agree with an age limit for this reason so adults can't prey on the innocent. That or make some type of system that you can only be friends with a certain age group if you are under a certain age. But then that makes problems with befriending family members. I don't like getting friend request from kids that I don't know. I decline most of them especially if they are of the opposite sex. All sights should make it mandatory that you post the year you were born. But then I guess you can still lie can't you. oh my backed myself in the corner here. Sorry if I am rambling and not making sense. Quite a sticky question.

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