44 replies to this topic

[Lady Jet]

Am I the only parent in the world who feels uncomfortabe in letting their less than 14 year old have a facebook?

I have two older children who are on it, and that's fine, but I also have a daughter who just turned 13, and it just doesn't seem right to me. So far, she hasn't complained, but it seems like everyone else her age, is already there.

Am I alone with this?

[The Crusher]

NOPE!!

I made that very clear in Jetman's cyber bullying thread.


I have 5 kids. My 23 year old recently graduated daughter is on Facebook and my 15 year old Sweet Little Baby Crusher is on Facebook. My 13 year old son is not.

Truth is I even monitor my 15 year olds page. He mostly uses it to communicate with the football team and relatives in New York.

Kids are mean and people are sick. No0 place for young kids in my humble opinion.

[JiF]

Facebook is the devil.

[visajets]

Facebook sucks.

[hoping4ASuperBowl]

After November 5th hopefully you won't have to worry about it.

[HessStation]

My wife's best friend let's her 11 and 13 year old girls have their own Facebook page. Yeah the 11 year old just got caught sex talking with teenage boys. WTF people???? America has completely lost it's mind. Seriously...WTF? WTF.

[The Crusher]

My wife's best friend let's her 11 and 13 year old girls have their own Facebook page. Yeah the 11 year old just got caught sex talking with teenage boys. WTF people???? America has completely lost it's mind. Seriously...WTF? WTF.

WTF ever happen to playing with Barbies?

[hoping4ASuperBowl]

WTF ever happen to playing with Barbies?

Girls still play with them.....if you're talking about virtual barbie and the MMO barbie game.

[The Crusher]

Girls still play with them.....if you're talking about virtual barbie and the MMO barbie game.

No.. talking about the Barbies and the playhouse and the pink corvette that my two younger daughter pass their days away on the playroom floor like kids are meant too. Granite my 13 year old son trying to get the dog to eat one and then he starts yelling Dogzilla as the girls cry and yell Daddy is a new twist,,, but KIDS SHOULD STILL BE KIDS.

[villain_the_foe]

Am I the only parent in the world who feels uncomfortabe in letting their less than 14 year old have a facebook?

I have two older children who are on it, and that's fine, but I also have a daughter who just turned 13, and it just doesn't seem right to me. So far, she hasn't complained, but it seems like everyone else her age, is already there.

Am I alone with this?

Im an adult and dont even have a facebook page. I did myspace back in the day for business reasons but ultimately stopped doing that. It undermines privacy. If I was looking for someone, 9 times out of 10 they have a facebook page. Given peoples lack of withholding information I can most likely find where they live, learn about their friends and family through pics/friends list etc. People put entirely too much info on facebook. And you're right, most people dont safe guard personal informaton, I wouldnt expect any different from a 13 year old. She can have a page with limited info yet have a friend who has more info on her on their page then she does here own. These social networks ultimately never rubbed me the right way. Its just too easy to get info on people.

I agree with you.

Edited by villain_the_foe, 24 August 2011 - 02:39 PM.

[sirlancemehlot]

I know of a few folks who have kids on Facebook, one relative of mine is nine. Can't understand it. Don't like it. Predators are so much bolder when given the cloak of internet anonymity. Beyond that, my wife is on it and it annoys the crap out of me. As a fascist policemen, I often help people wear special bracelets. They tend to not like me much when I do that. And I wear a freaking name tag. I'd much prefer not to let them look me up. i have an unlisted phone number and my wife has a web page with pictures of my kids on it. WTF?

[Bob]

Am I the only parent in the world who feels uncomfortabe in letting their less than 14 year old have a facebook?

I have two older children who are on it, and that's fine, but I also have a daughter who just turned 13, and it just doesn't seem right to me. So far, she hasn't complained, but it seems like everyone else her age, is already there.

Am I alone with this?

How can she be 13 already?

[villain_the_foe]

I know of a few folks who have kids on Facebook, one relative of mine is nine. Can't understand it. Don't like it. Predators are so much bolder when given the cloak of internet anonymity. Beyond that, my wife is on it and it annoys the crap out of me. As a fascist policemen, I often help people wear special bracelets. They tend to not like me much when I do that. And I wear a freaking name tag. I'd much prefer not to let them look me up. i have an unlisted phone number and my wife has a web page with pictures of my kids on it. WTF?

Exactly my point. It takes effort to guard your privacy, especially in the profession that you're in. I dont like it either. Luckily my wife has no interest in the websites, but I'd be stressed out like you if she did. Its just too easy to get info on people. Not sure if you heard about this but now these camera phones with GPS's on them actually leave digital imprints embedded in the pictures to where if one knows how to encrypt the info of the pic they can find out the geographical location in which that picture was taken.


How many people have pictures up on facebook from their gps supported camera phones? The sh*ts crazy man.

Edited by villain_the_foe, 24 August 2011 - 09:30 PM.

[Bob]

Exactly my point. It takes effort to guard your privacy, especially in the profession that you're in. I dont like it either. Luckily my wife has no interest in the websites, but I'd be stressed out like you if she did. Its just too easy to get info on people. Not sure if you heard about this but now these camera phones with GPS's on them actually leave digital imprints embedded in the pictures to where if one knows how to encrypt the info of the pic they can find out the geographical location in which that picture was taken.


How many people have pictures up on facebook from their gps supported camera phones? The sh*ts crazy man.

You need to upgrade the hat. The tinfoil is clearly not working.

[villain_the_foe]

You need to upgrade the hat. The tinfoil is clearly not working.

lol. I'm not even sure if that was a compliment or not. I'll take it though Bob!

[RutgersJetFan]

Am I the only parent in the world who feels uncomfortabe in letting their less than 14 year old have a facebook?

I have two older children who are on it, and that's fine, but I also have a daughter who just turned 13, and it just doesn't seem right to me. So far, she hasn't complained, but it seems like everyone else her age, is already there.

Am I alone with this?

Yes. Try monitoring the sh*t your kid uses. The sooner your kid masters social media, the better. Gives them a leg up right off the bat in so many areas, particularly going into college. Can't even begin to tell you the advantages it offers in sharing information with peers and colleagues. We're a few years from doing away with email lists as the primary mode of communication, and conventional web-based classrooms are on their way out the door. Where I'm at, we're already on iPad and iPhone compatible systems that bypass customary, stuffy email lists and downloading. Quite recently, I communicated strictly via twitter with an undergrad class I taught, and to tell you the truth it was awesome. Had a couple kids in there too who said they didn't have accounts and didn't know how to use it on the first day of class. My retort? Tough titties. Learn. Being a wiz with this right off the bat starts with learning basic software, and social media is an immense tool for doing so. 13 is by no means too young for this.

Computers have parental settings. Phones have parental settings. It's pretty easy to make sure your kid isn't talking to a sexual predator, or sexting pictures of a prepubescent dick to some fellow 11-year-old. Learn how to use them.

Edited by RutgersJetFan, 25 August 2011 - 03:21 AM.

[Barcs]

If you let them on facebook, you should create your own account and be their friend. That should be the condition, because that way you pretty much know what pictures they put up and monitor their activity. Also you should set the parental controls, and ensure they only share pictures and whatnot with friends. You can also set the profile to not display ANY information to non friends. Obviously you can't control everything, but that's true about anything with your kids and their social lives. I really don't think it's anything to be worried about, however. It's no worse than having a cell phone or internet access in general. I have tons of cousins, ranging in age from 13-30 and most of them are on facebook and share family pictures and everything else. It's really harmless if you're not a complete idiot.

My wife's best friend let's her 11 and 13 year old girls have their own Facebook page. Yeah the 11 year old just got caught sex talking with teenage boys. WTF people???? America has completely lost it's mind. Seriously...WTF? WTF.

OMG!! Teenagers have sexual urges when they begin development!??? This is groundbreaking!! I can't believe it. Now instead of messing around with each other sexually when they hang out, they can do it virtually. If I were a parent I'd much rather have that, then the real thing, but again, that's how adolescents are when they reach the age of puberty and you telling them not to, is only going to make them want to do it more.

I personally don't use facebook that often, but it has good uses. It just gets a bad rep because everyone focuses on the few rare negative things that happen.

How many people have pictures up on facebook from their gps supported camera phones? The sh*ts crazy man.

OMG!!! I'm so afraid now!!! It's not like the picture itself showing the exact area the picture was taken in isn't enough!!! NOW THEY CAN TELL BY THE LOCATION STAMP!! OHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSS!

Edited by Barcs, 26 August 2011 - 02:22 PM.

[Lady Jet]

How can she be 13 already?

Crazy, ain't it?

Thanks for all the feedback folks. I'm still leaning with Crusher's sentiment. (You rock, btw, Crusher!)

Jif, Visa, Hoping4asuperbowl - Yup, pretty much agreed. (We can only hope, Hoping, )

Hess - that is frightening and disturbing. I've seen what some of my daughters peers are writing on their facebook, twitter, formspring, and what not, just another reason I think they're too young, some of them will put anything out there.

Villain - Thanks, and I agree as well. I remember when my daughter (now nearly 20) first went on myspace. She was good with privacy, some of her friends, not so much.

SirLance - Your position is the one that almost made me switch my current position. Although I believe most people don't realize how out there, (for anyone to see) and out there everywhere, things on the internet are, and how easily assessible all the info is, sometimes it is, what it is. From my experience, and time in reading your posts, you really seem to be such an easy going, decent and fair guy. It's hard to imagine someone wanting any "revenge" of any sort against you. You're a good guy. Your wife obviously knows you best, but if she feels comfortable in sharing on facebook, and knowing your profession, well.... she feels safe and comfortable about it. That, and you carry a gun, and probably a laser, who's gonna mess with you.

Bob - They grow up too damn fast! Miss you, we should get together for a game, fun and food this season!

Rutgers - Cool stuff. I'm not worried about her tech savyness (yeah, I like to make up my own words, ) Her dad is an IT geek. You made some very good points, however, I just believe 13 is still too young and most likely immature and it's nothing that can't wait until she's 16 or so.

Barcs - Yeah, I agree, Befriending your kids can keep you in the loop, parental controls can help as well, but you can't stop what facebook "friends" share. That troubles me the most.

Oh well, like I said, she's ok with it for now. We'll see how it goes. Thanks again, for the input everyone.

[The Crusher]

Yes. Try monitoring the sh*t your kid uses. The sooner your kid masters social media, the better. Gives them a leg up right off the bat in so many areas, particularly going into college. Can't even begin to tell you the advantages it offers in sharing information with peers and colleagues. We're a few years from doing away with email lists as the primary mode of communication, and conventional web-based classrooms are on their way out the door. Where I'm at, we're already on iPad and iPhone compatible systems that bypass customary, stuffy email lists and downloading. Quite recently, I communicated strictly via twitter with an undergrad class I taught, and to tell you the truth it was awesome. Had a couple kids in there too who said they didn't have accounts and didn't know how to use it on the first day of class. My retort? Tough titties. Learn. Being a wiz with this right off the bat starts with learning basic software, and social media is an immense tool for doing so. 13 is by no means too young for this.

Computers have parental settings. Phones have parental settings. It's pretty easy to make sure your kid isn't talking to a sexual predator, or sexting pictures of a prepubescent dick to some fellow 11-year-old. Learn how to use them.

Dude your comparing oranges to testicles.

Social media is NOT for kids. When they hit High School is a good time for them to start.

Sights like Facebook have nothing to do with elementary kids education. Im sure it works great for college, where you teach and even for high school.

All my kids have a secure school sight for the Fairfax public schools. It's called "Blackboard", funny thing is white people get to use it too.

It's secure and has passwords and the kids can communicate with teachers, get assignments and even hand projects in using it. Kids can also communicate with one another and do projects together using it.

Kids get plenty of practice using this type of thing for school.

[SenorGato]

Facebook is the devil.

+1

Edited by SenorGato, 31 August 2011 - 10:52 PM.