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Original poster

Facebook for a 10 year old?

20 replies

origamirose · 07/09/2011 16:09

I've just had a friend request from a friend of mine's daughter who's 10. I don't want to accept it as I can't guarantee that the content of my wall will always be suitable!
AIBU to think that 10 is too young for facebook? Or is that when most children start getting into it?

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SecretSquirrels · 07/09/2011 16:27

They have to be 13. She must have lied about her age.

usualsuspect · 07/09/2011 16:30

Some do ,some don't

I don't have a problem with it ,some people do

don't accept her friend request ,although you can limit what people can see on your wall

CiderwithBuda · 07/09/2011 16:43

I've had a couple of these. One I emailed the mum and said I wasn't comfortable with it so wouldn't be accepting. Another one I have still to do that. Must do today. I do have my 12 year old nephew on and had a lovely chat with him earlier though.

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Hulababy · 07/09/2011 16:46

IMO 10y is too young for FB. I ignore all FB friend requests from any children, tbh from anyone under 16y.

DD is 9y and she won't be having a FB account for a good while yet. There is just no need for her to. She already has an email address from where she can email family and friends, she has bump on her iTouch to send text type messages to friends she has "bumped" with and she has a small password protected website she has created where she can share news, photos and videos with selected people.

IMO Fb doesnt offer any protection to young children.

cat64 · 07/09/2011 17:09

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mumeeee · 07/09/2011 17:41

Yes 10 is to young. The rule from Facebook is that you have to be 13.

LottieJenkins · 07/09/2011 17:42

Thirteen is the correct age. Some of my friends children aged six and seven have them!!! I am very careful who i have on mine as i work in a school and refuse to have children from their on mine! My dog is just over a year and has his own account!! Grin does he sound too young??? Disclaimer my ds with autism set it up as a bit of fun!!!

UsingMainlySpoons · 07/09/2011 17:44

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Floggingmolly · 07/09/2011 18:26

Why did you 'accidentally' mess up the application - what's wrong with saying no?

LadySybil · 07/09/2011 18:28

ds managed to make his own profile on fb two years ago, aged 8. its not difficult. It took me a week to get it removed as it is almost impossible to contact an actual person who works at fb.
most of ds's friends, aged 10 have fb, but he still doesnt, and wont till he is 12 at least.

UsingMainlySpoons · 07/09/2011 18:38

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grumplestilskin · 07/09/2011 18:49

no I never accept friend requests from under 13s. IMO accepting is condoning rule breaking.

Of course when it comes to my own DC when they get to that age.... who knows it's a delicate balance. if them going behind my back and doing it is inevitable if I say no, then I'll probably say yes.

But as another adult, now, I feel accepting under 13s is not the right thing for me to do (whether they're 2 or 5 or 11). And also accepting other peoples kids on my FB would make my arguements weak in the future if I tell DS he can't have one yet

SauvignonBlanche · 07/09/2011 18:56

All DD's friends seem to be on (according to her), she's just about to turn 11.
I have said no but a cheeky friend of hers tried to tell me that FB was OK.
I wasn't going to debate my parenting decisions with her, so when she told me that she knew some 6 & & yr olds with accounts I said "yes, I know a dog with one - mad isn't it?" in cheery voice and clenched teeth!

Floggingmolly · 07/09/2011 19:01

Fair enough, Spoons Smile

Wordsmith · 07/09/2011 21:16

DS1 (11) has just got a FB account, after me resisting it for about a year. He's just started High School and I reckoned that was about right. He's not allowed to be 'friends' with adults he doesn't know - or anyone he doesn't know TBH, and I have to know his password and regularly check his account. I don't accept friend requests from children either, mainly because they talk such utter rubbish I don't want to see it in my Facebook feed. IME the worst offenders regarding utter crap posts tend to be older teenagers. I don't know anyone who posts 'offensive' (inappropriate) stuff and if any of my 'friends' did they would be deleted straight away. Same goes for his account.

theredhen · 07/09/2011 22:57

I think secondary school age is OK, ie. 11 years old, but only on the condition that you know his/her password and they ask you before accepting any friend requests and you talk about content etc before they go on and make sure you are their friend too.

mumeeee · 08/09/2011 09:29

To those of you saying 11 is about right for Facebook. It's not you have to be 13 to have a Facebook account so anyone under this age has to lie when they start up an account. Are you all happy about letting your DCs llie?

antshouse · 08/09/2011 09:37

I think a lot of children start getting into facebook at the end of primary school with or without parents permission.
I never accept friend requests from my childrens friends though- it would put me in a difficult possition if they had joined without asking their parents, and I wouldn't want them as contacts anyway.

MyBaby1day · 14/09/2011 07:19

No, you should be at least 13, it's the rules.

bruffin · 14/09/2011 07:36

The reason for 13 is to do with american laws on storing personal data on under 13s, nothing to do with appropriateness.

Just say no if you don't want to be friends, both my two have had accounts since they were in year 6, we have always had their passwords.

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