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June 5th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda Get ready for friend requests from pre-teens.
The news that Facebook might be considering a membership option for children under 13 is garnering plenty of reaction from parents and online safety advocates.
[More from Mashable: Facebook Will Disappear by 2020, Says Analyst]
Many underage kids are using Facebook already, often with their parent’s help. A recent Consumer Reports study estimated that 7.5 million children under 13 are already using the social network.
Even among the parents who knew about their kids’ Facebook accounts, only 18% had friended them — which would be one of the most basic steps you can take to monitor your kids’ Facebook useage.
[More from Mashable: Beautiful Visualizations Show Global Facebook Activity]
Facebook is well aware of the problem. The company told Mashable in a statement: “recent reports have highlighted just how difficult it is to enforce age restrictions on the Internet, especially when parents want their children to access online content and services.”
So is an under-13 category a sure thing? Not so fast. Facebook also says it’s in “continuous dialogue with stakeholders, regulators and other policymakers about how best to help parents keep their kids safe in an evolving online environment.”
SEE ALSO: Study Says Facebook Privacy Concerns Are on the Rise -– Is It Accurate?Many parents believe it is up to them to keep their kids safe online. Cindy Van Alstyne, mother of a 12-year-old boy in northern New Jersey, told Mashable her son is not on Facebook. “Even if they did allow it, I would not do it,” she says. “I want to wait as long as I possibly can.”
She says her neighbors have kept their kids away from the social network for as long as possible. Still, sometimes you can’t avoid it. Other parents say they feel pressured to let their kids join because their child’s friends are on it — often with their parent’s permission.
“It’s like the cell phone thing,” one Mom of a teenager told Mashable. The kids say, “but all my friends are using it, why can’t I?”
It’s hard to know when to bend the rules and when to remain vigilant. In the end, it’s up to the parents themselves to monitor what their children are doing. Van Alstyne says when she finally gives her son permission to sign up, “It would be my job to monitor what’s going on.” That’s something she wishes other parents did as well.
What do you think about the Facebook age restrictions? Do you let your under-age kids use Facebook? Take our poll below, and let us know your take in the comments.
This story originally published on Mashable here.
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