is it safe to let my kids have FACEBOOK accounts?

[cutekids]

I've noticed that more and more of my kids'friends are setting up their own accounts.(They are 11,10 and 9).I know that you can set the settings as you want them but is it actually ok to do this?

I wouldn't but my eldest is only 8.

For Face Book they have to be over 13.
My DS's had to lie to get theirs while at their Dads. I made them delete it!

I think they are fairly safe with the right settings but that doesn't stop them accepting friend requests from anyone.

I wouldn't , the problem seems to be if you join a group then everyone in that group can see you(I think !) and I wouldn't want my kids to be seen unless I approved the 'friend' and it would take quite a bit of monitoring (especially for 3 kids!)

No I wouldn't bearing in mind the rude circulations I'm always getting (although my dd 9 is desperate for one)

i'm on fb myself and have never had any "rude circulations".What do you mean?

I know how to set privacy settings.However,things have changed quite alot recently and i'm not quite sure myself who can see what these days.

I tried to set them up on Bebo recently but for some reason it wouldn't allow me to do so...unless of course you have to be a certain age for that aswell?

FB rules are that you have to be 13 (my SIL has let her 12yo DD get one by adding a year onto her age, but not her 10yo DD).

I would not say that Facebook is not suitable for kids. The applications can be quite a bit adult orientated (Mafia wars, Pimps and Ho's etc). Also, there are scams going on throughout Facebook involving members accounts being hijacked. Its all pretty unmoderated.

But the most important thing you need to consider is: Can you monitor everone who contacts your children?

sorry, too many "nots". Rushing to go out and cant leave the PC alone!

To clarify, Facebook and kids, no way!

There's an age restriction on facebook for a reason, just like there are age restrictions on films.

Ignore at your peril.

so they can 'become a fan of big breasts....stockings...see through underwear'

no

there is no age restriction on facebook because underage children lie about their D of B - it's the parents who are at fault

Encouraging children to break the rules also isn't the best of examples to set when it comes to using the internet.

that's what I mean- it's the parents' fault