So you Want to Be on Facebook…

I am now running into middle schoolers who want to Friend me on Facebook.  I find myself wondering, “Is it safe for them?”  We’ve all heard about predators trolling for young boys and girls to lure away for evil purposes.  First of all, you have extensive rights as a parent if your child is under 13.  To begin with, they are not supposed to have a Facebook account at all if they are under 13.  BUT, if your child is 13 and older, your ability to get Facebook to act is quite limited.  That said, Facebook does treat 13 to 18-year-olds differently than adults. One reassuring bit of information I found is that “Minors do not have public search listings created for them when they sign up for Facebook, meaning their accounts cannot be found on general search engines outside of Facebook.”

For the caring and involved parent (which all of you are), there’s a GREAT resource that includes information as well as ideas on how to talk to your kids about Facebook safety and privacy.  Once you’re armed with the knowledge you’ll find on the site, have a sit-down with your son or daughter to talk about the responsibility that comes with the privilege of using social networking sites. Help them choose privacy settings, and, if they are too young, don’t be afraid to say, “not yet.”