{"id":382026,"date":"2011-04-19T14:01:37","date_gmt":"2011-04-19T14:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/19\/many-under-13s-using-facebook\/"},"modified":"2011-04-19T14:01:37","modified_gmt":"2011-04-19T14:01:37","slug":"many-under-13s-using-facebook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/19\/many-under-13s-using-facebook\/","title":{"rendered":"Many under-13s ‘using Facebook’"},"content":{"rendered":"

19 April 2011<\/span> Last updated at<\/span> 10:01 ET<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Almost half of British children aged 9 to 12 are using social networking sites, despite minimum age limits, a report claims.<\/p>\n

One in five has a Facebook page, even though rules say they must be 13, according to EUKidsOnline.<\/p>\n

The report’s authors suggest that removing such requirements would make it easier to monitor online behaviour.<\/p>\n

However, children’s charity Kidscape criticised the idea and warned it would lead to more cyber bullying.<\/p>\n

The research<\/a>, carried out by the London School of Economics for the European Commission, was based on a survey of 25,000 young people – aged between nine and 16 – from across Europe.<\/p>\n

It asked if they maintained a social networking profile.<\/p>\n

In the UK, 43% of 9 to 12-year-olds answered yes, along with 88% of 13 to 16-year-olds.<\/p>\n

The Netherlands had the highest percentage of children on social networks at 70% – however many of these were users of Hyves, a site that does not have a minimum age.<\/p>\n

Across Europe the average figure for 9 to 12-year-olds was 38%.<\/p>\n

Report author Elisabeth Staksrud, from the University of Oslo, told BBC News that it was inevitable children would be drawn to sites such as Facebook: “If you’re twelve you want to be where your peers are”.<\/p>\n

Continue reading the main story<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cStart Quote<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

Children are children, adults are adults. Sometimes you have to say no to your child.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

End Quote<\/span> Peter Bradley<\/span> Kidscape<\/span><\/div>\n

Parental guidance<\/span><\/p>\n

The report also suggests that where parents do impose a strict policy on social networking, the majority of young people respect that guidance.<\/p>\n

In France, 45% of parents said their children were forbidden from using social networking sites, the highest of any country in the survey.<\/p>\n

Consequently, that country had the lowest proportion of children using social networking at 25%.<\/p>\n

Peter Bradley, from child protection charity Kidscape, said it showed that parents must be firm with their children when it comes to internet use.<\/p>\n

“Children are children, adults are adults. Sometimes you have to say no to your child,” he said.<\/p>\n

‘Cop out’<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Elisabeth Staksrud believes that by acknowledging children below the age of 13 are using services, social networking sites could develop measures to protect them.<\/p>\n

“Since children often lie about their age to join ‘forbidden’ sites it would be more practical to identify younger users and to target them with easy-to-use protective measures,” she said.<\/p>\n

The report concedes that while this approach would help keep existing users safer, it could also lead to a substantial increase in underage children signing up.<\/p>\n

Mr Bradley told the BBC he strongly believed that lowering the minimum age for Facebook would be wrong.<\/p>\n

“Without doubt, if the age limit was removed from Facebook, the effect would be an increase in the number of young people accessing the site,” he told the BBC.<\/p>\n

“Automatically you’ll have a greater increase of those at risk of bullying online.<\/p>\n

“Abolishing the age limit is an absolute cop out really.”<\/p>\n

In a statement, Facebook said that it welcomed the attention that the study had focused on the issue.<\/p>\n

“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,” it said.<\/p>\n

The company said that features such as the Facebook safety centre helped to keep children safe while using the site. But, it added, families had a role to play too.<\/p>\n

“Just as parents are always teaching and reminding kids how to cross the road safely, talking about internet safety should be just as important a lesson to learn.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

More:
\nMany under-13s ‘using Facebook’<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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