Children 8 years old using Facebook, despite age restrictions

From Saferpedia

Ofcom, the media supervisor from Great Britain shows that 1 from 5 children with ages between 8 and 12 years uses social networking sites like Facebook, Beboor MySpace. This despite the 13 years restriction.

1 of 6 parents doesn't know if their child is on social networking sites.

The report includes information regarding internet audience showing that 37% users with ages between 5 and 7 years visited Facebook in October 2009 but they haven't check how many of them have Facebook profiles.

These data lead to a new debate about how social networking sites restrict children access. Although sites ask users to write their age, they don't check the truthfulness of information.

Facebook is criticized by Protection Center for Children Online because it refused to introduce a report children abuse button.

"It's extremely important the fact that children surf social networking sites because they're not skeptics and can be easily fooled", declared Graham Cluley, expert in internet safety.

Ofcom study shows that 70% children under 11 years reading blogs and information sites believe all they read.

Facebook recently rejected British ministers proposal and child protection organizations to create a panic button anti-pedophile.

News taken from Realitate.net.