I’m updating this short 2009 post because, strangely, I get hits on it every day – preteen kids looking for some justification to convince their parents to violate the Facebook user agreement and let them have a Facebook account. Some comment, which is usually amusing.
Stewart Baker at Volokh has a post about the law that led to Facebook’s restriction on under-13 accounts. I didn’t realize that the restriction was due to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and not just an arbitrary policy set by Facebook, but I’ll reiterate what I’ve said in the comments to kids whining that they can’t have an account: Facebook is a private company with the right to set rules under which it provides service.
No one is entitled to a Facebook account. The fact that Facebook’s rule is due to a federal law just means that if you and your parents are so morally bankrupt that you lie to get the account, you are also criminals. You’re violating not just COPPA, but the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
If it offends you that there are laws about this, there’s a club for people who don’t like some of the laws Congress passed and the President signed. It’s called Everybody. If it really offends you, you can do something about it by joining a local Tea Party and advocating to have less government regulation over our daily lives.
Originally posted on 12/15/2009:
A kid writes a letter explaining her reasons. Nice effort, but NO.
If the rules (and Mom) say you have to be 13 and the girl is only 10, what’s the issue? Believe it or not, she’ll probably live if Mom doesn’t give in.
.-= Steve´s last blog ..Tiger Can’t Buy a Break =-.
Ten-year-olds do not need Facebook accounts. They don’t even need their own e-mail accounts. And they certainly don’t need cellphones.
Can you tell what I’m getting harrassed about?
.-= Michele´s last blog ..Back away from the bats. =-.
oh be quiet. You are not my mom and its your fault for not letting your 10 year old or trying to tell other parents not to let your child have any freedom or fun!
Q.E.D. …and you can ask your parents to explain that answer to you or help you google it.
It definitely does not help her case in the fact that her grammar and spell are not where a 10-year-old’s should be. No one should ever use ‘texting’ spelling and grammar.
.-= Beverly Lynn´s last blog ..New Marriages, new baby, new house =-.
Beverly, amen to that. But even worse, having someone speak it… someone actually said “OMG” to me the other day. ::eyeroll::
I think children of 10 years are a little too young to have their own email accounts. The age of 13, maybe 12, seems more appropriate.
ten year old should have a face book and who cares if they have one any way is none of your business if they have one and are you there mom NO so you can’t tell them with they get
[Added by Laura: And this comment is conclusive proof why a ten year old, which the submitter evidently is, should not be using the internet unsupervised. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling are an embarrassment. Really, kid, go do your homework and leave the internet to people who have mastered the English language. You're obviously not ready.]
I totally think a kid should have a FB account at any age. Just have the parents set the controls on it if the kid is under 10. I’m 10 but I act like I’m 15. Age doesn’t have to do with anything. It’s the attitude.
Abigail, you certainly seem more mature than the last ten year old who commented here.
But assuming your parents agreed you should have a FB account, do you think it would be okay to lie (since Facebook’s user agreement states that users MUST be at least 13) to get one?
Not all ten year olds speak like the average ten year old, nor the average five or seven year old. Some will speak like the average forty year old, or the average 16 year old.
I’m ten and I speak above average, according to my parents, friends, and family. I’m
very academically advanced compared to my eleven year old friend who is about average. I’ve read all seven Harry Potter books and I didn’t find any challenging words (it was last year).
High marks to you, Alyssa, on excellent communication. So the next question is, then, does Facebook have the right to set rules for their service, and are we morally obligated to obey them?
*Edited: “Hi” to “High” because I’m an idiot.
when i was 9 my facebook got deleted by the facebook people they will find out your age any way i even put that i was 16 so dont let a ten year old get one (but im 10 now)
Hi people! I’m 10 years old and my opinion is that email is okay to have if you are under the age of 13. I have a high average in school. I don’t type, write, or speak like normal 10 year olds do. At least thats what I felt when I tried to explain pi to them and they just kept on saying ” WHAT!!!” I already knew 7th grade math in 3rd grade and I was also offered to go to college in the summer for early experience. FB accounts should be allowed for people under age AS LONG AS YOU KNOW WHAT THEY’RE UP TO!!! Dani out!!
im 12 and my mom still doesnt let me have one. it makes me sooooooo freakin mad.
all my friends have them and they go around sayin im bored when im overe there all like ” well at least you have a FB I mean come on!”
anyway everynight i beg my mom to let me have one but everynight its a no.
This is wat i dont get
i have a youtube
i post videos on it
and she still will not let me have a facebook!
i show her all these comments on here about the age and all she does is walk away.
i dont no y but i have a feeling that she doesnt want me to grow up
I know at 12 you feel grown up. I was twelve once, too. And so was my daughter, who said things like you’re saying now, until she got into her twenties and thanked me for protecting her. I know you’ll never believe me when I say you are not at all grown up right now, and all attempts to make yourself look grown just make you look silly to everyone except your friends who are trying the same silly things. But don’t rush yourself, Lauren. The world’s not going anywhere, and it will still be there when your mom permits you to do more. And even when you don’t agree with her, try to remember that she loves you.
You know what LAURA!Stop judging us preteen you cant tell us what to do. You can’t stand the fact that she is growing up makes her want to leave you even more when she is a young adult!What is the matter with you?
I know right ?!
my mom either, she said she think about it but I’m in the top class of my grade but I am still trying my best
I honestly think it might be ok if my ten year old has a facebook. I would always supervize it. I just dont want her constently onn the computer all the time.
Hannah, work on the spelling and grammar before you impersonate your mom on the internet again.
I DO think ten year olds should have FB acounts,I am tenm year old and i mostly Act like a 12 year old ..I also think this becauseFB is social chat room (Basiclly) where you can keep in thouch with your friends (and enemies:P) if they have FB accounts,Esspecialy in the Summer ,when you dont see moust of your friends that dont live in your naborhood or around,or cant have any time to hangout or somthing.Plus you can make your account privite so only your friends that you added can be able to see your FB account
So Ten year olds SHOULD have FB accounts But only if you dont do anything stupid,Kiddeo:3!
Elyssa, since you seem a bit more mature than some of the other kids who have responded to this post, I’ll ask you a serious question: do you think it’s morally okay to violate Facebook’s user agreement? When you create a Facebook account, you are telling them you are at least 13 years old. So do you think it is okay to lie?
Duhh!?Of course it okay to lie it”s not like its bad.Your not exactly lying well your almost 13 so its not lying kind of?!
I published your comments because they are a great illustration of how immature and morally bankrupt you are, Daisy. Your reading comprehension is very poor. My daughter IS grown up – a married woman, in fact. But even when she was 13, she knew lying was wrong. Your reading comprehension, along with your deplorable spelling and grammar, are good reasons why you should stay off the internet because you are embarrassing yourself.
Im eight years old n I have a fb account but I can be trusted to be quite sensilbe when using fb
Thara, is it okay to lie and violate the Facebook user agreement? Do you think Facebook should have the right to set rules about who is allowed to use their service?
Well I’m 10 and I have one! I also have a iPad email iPod dsi and YouTube! And I also have my sweet chihuahua!
Congratulations. Now work on your reading comprehension. Start with all the other comments above this one.
my mom wont let me have a FB and im 10 nor a you tube i beg her every day but is always a NO!! every one of my friends have 1 but me . my mom says i need 2 get my grades up b4 i get anything else
i think a 10 yr olds should have 1 all they have 2 do is fake there age and get there parents permission if the adults dont want want people 2 c there kids FB’s they can just block it
( im 10 )
What should I do 2 make my mom give me a FB I’m 10 and all my friends do my mom says that I need 2 get better grades but I already do I’m mean all you have 2 do is fake your age duh
Im 10 years old but am very murture and act like im 17. I get good grades behave well and do evwerything im supposed too! I have an email a phone a skype and an ipod but i cant get a Facebook! i just dont understand why. i am trying to look at nit from my moms perspective but im just not getting it! Surely skype cant be any worse! you can video chat with strangers! My mom wont give me any good reasons why i cant! I think my mom is scared i am growing up too fast! What should I do?
You should cheerfully obey your mom. FB will still be there when you are able to use it without violating their user agreement and lying about your age.
No, a 10 year old shouldn’t have a Facebook account. Unless Facebook changes their rules (which doesn’t seem likely due to the law), it is a lie for them to join. And now, I see it’s also a criminal act. I know a couple under-age kids that are on Facebook and my biggest problem with it is that as Christians, the parents are basically telling their kids, “it’s okay to lie”. And we wonder why this country is going morally bankrupt!
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I’m 10 years old and I have a FB account.My cousin who is the same age as me does too.Our moms gave them because we had very high grades(all A+s on our report cards)and were very responsible.We finished reading all the Harry Potter books in 3rd grade and are in the gifted program.
Good grades entitle you to break the law?
Hi, I’m Taylor and my mom is still thinking about me having a “FB”. I honestly think “FB” is kinda stupid! Just because I’m under age doesn’t mean I’m under attitude! By that i mean 7 year old who have fake names like “Ginger Moon”
for instance! I understand someone like my age 10 is having a fake name because some creeper is tring to creep you! I really think there should be a separate ,FB for kids Or under age of 13. That would be GREAT! And acceptable! I am in an 8th grade reading level. I was in gifted group. Such people as family and friends think I’m 13 or 14. Not only do i look the part but act too! And i am smart enough! Please give me an answer as soon as possible! This might depend on me getting a FB. My mother said my account has to be private and blocked! So i can only friend family and friends! Thanks Laura! Love,
Taylor
Taylor, I agree it would be great if there were some legal alternative to Facebook for kids under 13, but as far as I know there is not. Congress wrote a law to try to protect kids on the internet, and FB has to comply with that law, which is why they wrote their user agreement saying kids are not allowed to have FB accounts. The law exists regardless of anyone’s maturity level or intelligence. Just because a lot of people think it’s a stupid law doesn’t mean we get to disobey it. The correct response to laws we don’t like is to try to get Congress to change or repeal the law. That is possible if enough people band together and ask Congress to do that. I believe parents who allow their children to have FB accounts in violation of the user agreement and the law are setting a terrible example – that we only have to obey rules and laws that we agree with. I suggest you use email to keep in touch with family and friends until you’re old enough to legally use FB.
please comment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi my name is abigale (aka) abby my mom wont let me have a fb all of my friends have one im the only girl at my middle school that does not have one. WHAT AM I supposed to do!
You are supposed to obey your mother cheerfully and communicate with your friends through other means. I promise you, you can live without Facebook.
I’m 12, and I don’t have a FB either, but my parents say that I shouldn’t have one when I turn 13 either. I’m trying to respect that, but it isn’t fair. Could I make one when I turn thirteen, and would it be legal? Many of my friends have one (I’m not saying that it’s right to break the law to have a FB, it’s not), and I was planning on getting one on my next birthday. I’m responsible and I get amazing grades, but they won’t let me have one anyway. Any ideas?
First, I’m very impressed with you that you’re taking the fact that your parents told you No fairly gracefully, and respecting their wishes, at least for now. I hope you keep doing that. Try to look at this from your parent’s point of view: For whatever reason – and of course I don’t know them or you, but I’m guessing that it’s because they love you and want to protect you from the things that make Facebook dangerous for young people – they told you you may not have a Facebook page.
Whether or not it’s against the law, how do you think they would feel if you snuck and got one without their permission? Now consider that they have paid for the computer, and are paying for the internet access which you would be using to disobey them; in other words, using access they gave you for good purposes, for something you know for a fact they oppose. I can tell you as a parent that would be extremely hurtful and disappointing. It would hurt me that my daughter did not think that I was wise or intelligent enough to know what is best for her, and that she didn’t trust me enough to obey even though she disagreed with me. It would also be incredibly painful to know that I couldn’t trust her. At your age, you have probably been betrayed by someone you thought was a friend – maybe someone who talked about you or did something behind your back. Think of how you would feel if your own child hurt you that way.
Second, while I don’t know your parent’s exact motives for saying No to you on this issue, it is important to realize that FB is a dangerous environment for young people. One moment of bad judgment online can stay with you for the rest of your life. I know that sounds ridiculous right now, but in a few short years, you’ll be out looking for a job. Employers “google” job applicants all the time. And something you posted five or ten years before when you were angry or trying to be funny can really ruin things for you later. This is true for adults, too – one bad decision online can stick with you forever. Hannah Jordan will never be able to get away from the hateful things she wrote about her parents, and her father – who responded angrily – will never be able to get away from it either. They’ve been in the news for days, not just in the United States, but all over the world. Last year a Congressman made a very bad decision about sharing online, and he lost his job and his reputation over it. No matter what you’ve been told, you need to understand that nothing online is really private.
Then there’s the creepy people.
Okay, this is a very long response, and I’m sorry about that. But my point to you and all these other girls who come here with the same question is that Facebook hasn’t been a private network for a long time. They deliberately keep changing the privacy settings to expose people’s information. Young people – even when you are really smart young people – don’t have the experience or judgment to consider long-term consequences, so it’s better to trust and rely on your parents until you do. Facebook will still be there later. You have a chance to make a good decision here – I’ll be praying that you do.
I think they should, only if they use it properly. When I asked for an email address my mom said ” since you can write and read yes you can.” When I got an app for my iPod touch for texting, she said ” Since you have your friends numbers, yes.” But when i asked for facebook a big fat NO! All my friends have one and they didn’t lie about their age. The FaceBook providers just limited their content.
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Laura you need to shut up. You aren’t my mother and I will lie all I want to FB. You need to stop criticizing ten year old children’s grammar, you’re probs a 50 year old woman with no life and a daughter who personally hates you.
Hannah, it’s clear that you’re not getting enough supervision from your parents and I will certainly pray for you.