Facebook, founded
in 2004 by M. Zuckerberg, was initially directed to Harvard’s students only;
however, nowadays everyone has access to it. We all know what this website is
about, how it works, how to use it and most of us have a Facebook account.
Facebook states that kids under the age of 13
are not allowed to have an account, but is not so difficult to lie about age on
the website. Moreover, parents do not always allow their children to have FB
accounts, yet kids can dive into FB on their own.
The
benefits of using the site seem to be not few compared to the adverse consequences
of it: it improves children’s social skills by allowing them to have contact
with other people, it gives them the chance to express themselves, it provides
them online social media skills, it helps them to communicate with their classmates
and discuss school work.
The
disadvantages, on the other hand refer to bullying, addiction to the website, an
opened door to other websites not appropriate for teens or kids, and fake
accounts with pedophiles behind them. Teenagers do not always know to differentiate
right from wrong and kids under 13, or even 14, are exposed to great dangers
they don’t even imagine. I think it’s not FB the problem, but an “age” one: FB
is not necessary a bad thing, but it is when it's used by kids who have no idea what they
are doing.
So, if you had a child under 13, would you let him/her have a FB account?
This is such a big issue for me. I'm 100% against children getting Facebook accounts, but it seems that it is getting more and more common among kids. I'm against this "fashion" not only because children are more likely to get bullied, followed by pedophiles, etc. but also because I think that young children, at that early age, should be reading a good book, playing outside, climbing trees or collecting bugs instead of wasting their time in front of a computer.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this "technological era" forces children to relate to computers and other technologies. It is true that they are very useful and provide a lot of tools, but it is also true that children should first take advantage of their childhood, and parents are the only people in charge of that important task.
To be honest, I would let my child create his/her own Facebook account, but I would stay next to him/her to explain the characteristics of that website, all the things related to Facebook; but, most importantly, I would let my child know that s/he can trust me in any moment and can ask me for advice at the moment of using FB--for example, when some unknown person adds him/her.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that my child has to understand is that s/he will be able to spend just a certain amount of time in front of the screen, because I do not want my child to be obsessed with this social network as most of the users are.
I agree with María José about this being a big issue, but if you do not let children make use of Facebook under your permission, they will still create a Facebook account in secret.
I may despise this website, yet this is not a valid reason why I would not let my own children make a Facebook account as long as they do not act the same way as most of the users I have observed in my environment; I would be utterly flabbergasted if they became part of this mentally vulnerable mass of "Facebook zombies."
ReplyDeleteThey should be aware that it is a tool for communicating as well as for having some fun; however, anything that you use too much or becomes a sort of obsession--or addiction--can generate dreadful consequences.
In addition, I agree with Francisca about the forbiddance of this; as I mentioned in another entry, there is a psychological phenomenon involved here, which consists in finding more "attractive" something that is forbidden for you rather than a given away situation. The key is not banning but making sure that your child is making an appropriate use of this website.
I created a facebook account for my nephew. My sister gave me permission to do this, and she controlls her friends and, friend request. She also blocked all his personal info, so everything is private. Benjamin is 8 and he only uses to play games that are only available on facebook. I agree with all of you who posted before me about the disadvantages of using facebook, but I think if parents can controll what their kids are doing, then it's ok let the children have their facebook account.
ReplyDeleteI don't really think it is wrong for kids to get a Facebook account, as long as it is with parents guidance. Facebook has online games which may be attractive for kids and they might not be available in other sites.
ReplyDeleteI do think it's dangerous for kids to log in facebook on their own, because they are not always aware of the dangerous people that can get closer to them by chat or online invitations, but since it improves some skills (the ones mentioned in the article), it wouldn't hurt anyone to be there with your children whenever they start using a computer.
I don't really think that an "age" is the problem, and obviously we cannot say that any web page or inanimated object can do any bad. Most important than facebook, is the use of the Internet that should be guided by parents, I don't think that neither the age, nor being a kid is the problem, I definitely think that the problem is PARENTING.
ReplyDeleteWe all know that as a kid a human being is not fully developed, neither physiologically, nor emocionally, and certainly children don't have a moral system (adults usually have, even if it's twisted, or not fitting to the common sense); thus, the question is not wether cjildren should get a facebook account, but why parents are so absent that they cannot realize what is happening in their kids life.
Besides, let's be honest, I think that kids should probably be playing and running around. Do you think that any child under 13 really needs or enjoys a facebook account?