According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook is “developing technology that would allow children younger than 13 years old to use the social networking site...” This is in spite of the sometimes serious breaches of privacy related to Facebook and worries about the influences social networking sites may be having on children. “Parents are already worried about how Facebook impacts our teens' interpersonal relationships, emotional well-being, and reputation,” said James P. Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media and author of “Talking Back to Facebook.” “Making Facebook available to very young children before we fully understand its impact on their development and well-being would be careless.” Common Sense Media is encouraging people to sign an online petition to fight the move. The petition reads in part: “Young children do not need to be on social networks with 1000 friends when they're seven or eight years old. Kids this young are still learning to navigate their offline life – learning how to play and engage with others – and don't need the added complexity of managing an online social profile. What's next, Facebook for toddlers?” Anyone who believes the concern over Facebook reaching out to kids is exaggerated, should consider the results of the 2012 Teen Internet Behavior study just released by McAfee. The study found that 70 percent of US teens hide their online behavior from their parents. Hidden behavior includes everything from viewing adult content to cheating on school work, up from 45 percent in 2010. Unfortunately parents are being fooled, with nearly half of parents believing their teens tell them everything they do online and insisting they are in control when it comes to monitoring their teens' online behaviors. “While it is not necessarily surprising that teens are engaging in the same types of rebellious behaviors online that they exhibit offline, it is surprising how disconnected their parents are,” said Stanley Holditch, Online Safety Expert for McAfee. “There is a major increase in the number of teens finding ways to hide what they do online from their parents, as compared to the 2010 study. This is a generation that is so comfortable with technology that they are surpassing their parents in understanding and getting away with behaviors that are putting their safety at risk.” If you're a parent you need to get involved with your children's online lives in order to offer them the guidance and protection they need – even if they don't think so. Start by reading the report www.mcafee.com/us/resources/misc/digital-divide-study.pdf. It reveals tricks teens use to keep their parents in the dark about online activities. Learn about the social media threat to your family and how to be a tech savvy parent through. www.talkingbacktofacebook.com. And at www.att.com/familysafety, there's an informative resource that helps parents understand the issues in regards to their kids and mobile devices.
