Pre-teens may soon no longer have to lie about their age to gain access to the world's largest social network.
A Wall Street Journal report claims Facebook is testing technology that allows children under 13 to use the social network under parental supervision. Possible solutions include linking children's accounts to those of their parents, so parents can oversee who their child becomes friends with and what application they are permitted to use.
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has long been a proponent of Facebook as an educational tool, and hence allowing children to join the site from an early age.
The Guardian reports Zuckerberg previously said he believes the educational opportunity outweighs the mandate by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (Coppa), which prevents sites that collect user data from allowing under-13s to sign up.
In 2011, Zuckerberg spoke about why he believes children under 13 should be allowed on Facebook and the educational value of social networking. He is quoted as saying Coppa would be “a fight we take on at some point” adding that his philosophy for education is that it must start at a “really, really young age”.
Zuckerberg was careful at the time to add that should the restrictions be lifted, Facebook would ensure all necessary precautions were taken to keep children safe. However, as reports have emerged of Facebook's possible plans, privacy advocates and US lawmakers have already appealed to the social network to think twice.
Deeply concerned
According to Bloomberg, co-chairmen of the Bi-Partisan Congressional Privacy Caucus, Texas Republican Joe Barton and Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey, sent a letter to Zuckerberg this week asking him to reveal the company's plans.
A report issued by Consumer Reports in 2011 showed Facebook had over 7.5 million under-aged users already, with over five million below the age of 11.
Common Sense Media CEO James Steyer says with the growing questions surrounding Facebook's business model, the social network is seeking new revenue streams.
“There is absolutely no proof of any meaningful social or educational value of Facebook for children under 13. Indeed, there are very legitimate concerns about privacy, as well as the impact on the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children.
“What Facebook is proposing is similar to the strategies used by Big Tobacco in appealing to young people - try to hook kids early, build your brand, and you have a customer for life. What's next? Facebook for toddlers?”
Worst-case scenario
In a statement, Facebook said: “Many recent reports have highlighted just how difficult it is to enforce age restrictions on the Internet, especially when parents want their children to access online content and services. We are in continuous dialogue with stakeholders, regulators and other policymakers about how best to help parents keep their kids safe in an evolving online environment.”
A study conducted by US researchers from Harvard, University of California, Northwestern University and Microsoft Research showed 72% of US parents who had reported that their child was on Facebook knew the child joined the social network before age 13.
“Rather than offering parents easy and explicit choices to control how their children's data should be collected and used - as Coppa is meant to do - many companies have chosen to avoid Coppa's regulatory framework through age-based bans, which ultimately undermine parental goals and potentially discourage them from providing their children with access to the online experiences they desire,” states the report, adding that this leads to several unintended consequences.
The report also says the current high rate of parent-supported terms of service circumvention results in a worst-case scenario where none of Coppa's public policy goals for mediating children's interactions with these Web sites are met.
Share