To find 9 year olds have their own facebook page

[cece]

I have just been on facebook and discovered that quite a lot of DD's class seem to have facebook profiles. They are 9 and 10 years old.

Some of them have cartoon pictures and have privacy on highest settings. However, some of them have their own pic (one of them is wearing a bikini) and their privacy settings are so low I could view their photos and so on.

Am I unreasonable to be shocked by this? or is it common practise for children this young to be on there?

[cece]

sims2fan - that is exactly my concern with thi issue. That is the sort of thing that happened to me. I am a grown waman, yet it was still upsetting. Imagine how a 10 year old on the receiving end of that sort of treatment would feel/cope?

The age of limit of 13 is there for a reason surely?

[FabbyChic]

I think it is up to the parent to determine whether or not their child is mature enough to go on Facebook.

My children are much older and have always had their own computers, we had three in the house at one point, one each.

We have grown up with them, and they continue to spend all their waking free time on them.

As do I unfortunately.

Such is the technological age, it's a way of life.

[mum295]

I know a few kids who are on Facebook, family and kids of friends.

Two are girls aged 12/13 and both have been cyber-bullied on Facebook. And in general their posts and those of their friends are shocking.

On the positive side, because it's all in the open on Facebook, family can see what's happening and can (and have) intervened.

I have an account for my 2 year-old DD so that we can share photos, her "thoughts" and so on with close family and friends, but with very tight privacy control. And as soon as she can read/write, it will be shut down.

[flippinggorgeous]

DD is 9 and has her own FB account. I am in control of her password and privacy settings and she has to check with me when adding friends.

Most of her schoolfriends don't have an account yet but her cousins and friends abroad do, so she can keep in touch with them.

[cupcakebakerer]

I know it goes on but I think it's shocking. The 'sexy' profile picture thing in tweens is something I've come across due to younger family members and I think it's awful, terrible etc etc but what can you do? That's the way society is headed and if you allow your child to have a mobile then soon a FB account - hidden from parents if needs be - will be inevitable. If you let them around friend's houses there is also nothing to stop them setting one up from there or a different computer they have access to. Kids can be sneaky when it comes to 'fitting in'. But yes, I agree, it's worrying.

[bibbitybobbityhat]

I just wish more parents wouldn't give in to their dc's pestering.

If, say, 50% of a 12 year old's peer group wasn't on facebook then it might be a bit easier to persuade them to leave it for a year or two. But when everyone else is its very hard for the parents and the child to be different.