Facebook. What age?

[wysiwyg]

Prob 13 unless things change depends on their level of understanding and what they want it for - they have their own accounts now at 3.5 and 16 months but they are just our way of keeping in touch with overseas relations - they don't use them and it stops my feed being overloaded with kids stuff and also helps with privacy as theirs are more locked down than mine.

They also form like a journal/memories book which are interesting for me to look back on and for them to read in future.

I suspect as they get older they will use them prior to 13 as a way of interacting with grandparents etc. but currently envisage 'handover' at around 13 mainly because that is FB policy. I remember being really into pen pals and I can see them using FB to interact with friends cousins etc elsewhere in the world.

I would rather let them have it earlier and talk about it with them and monitor than ban until they get to 16 or 18. There are so many other things, chat rooms, messenger services, multi player online gaming and no doubt new things too I would rather they discover all these things with me rather than later when my influence will have waned. In my experience the more technologically aware the more likely people are of privacy issues and is more often people who are new to things who struggle with privacy concepts.

I suppose I don't see the online world as any more dangerous than the real world and by earlier than 13 I will be letting them do things on their own - so just as will teach them how to behave and be safe in real world will do same for online world.

[Tinks]

You're so right Wsiwyg. I have a friend whose daughter isn't allowed fb but she's allowed to use Instagram and KIK. We've had many issues with DD1 using KIk that I've actually banned it.

[Rouge]

After high school and not a second before. And they already know and are ok with it.

I know people who have been fired for their facebook/twitter accounts. Screen dumps that were saved even after stuff that could cause problems was deleted. I don't want to compromise my children's school lives by opening them up to bullying. Part of my job in IT training is to teach internet safety and social networking safety.

I don't believe children should have facebook. And I think more schools should be teaching about texting/messaging/social media and the dangers of bullying and how to stop yourself from being a target. Let alone stranger danger and how it could impact your future careers.

Being a member here is a perfect example. If you've ever seen screen dumps, or security breaches as we've seen here before why would teenagers be any better? Scary to think what they would be like given what adults are capable of. It's not the same as when we were kids, so someone would write about you on the toilet wall. You get a marker and it's gone. The internet is forever and this is why it is VERY different. People forget that, and are sucked into a false sense of security.