{"id":34768,"date":"2014-04-14T15:16:56","date_gmt":"2014-04-14T22:16:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=34768"},"modified":"2025-08-27T21:57:56","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T04:57:56","slug":"kids-cant-join-facebook-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/family-safety\/kids-cant-join-facebook-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Your Kids Can\u2019t Join Facebook Until They Are 13"},"content":{"rendered":"<style><!-- \/* Font Definitions *\/ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;} @font-face {font-family:\"Cambria Math\"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;} \/* Style Definitions *\/ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:\"\"; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:11.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page WordSection1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --><\/style>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\">Have you ever wondered why it is that your kids can\u2019t join social media sites like <\/span><span lang=\"EN-AU\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; background: white;\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/span><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\"> until they are 13 years of age? Perhaps you thought that it is the social media sites \u2018looking out\u2019 for the interests of our children. I know I did a few years back.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\">Now while I would never cast any doubt on the good intentions of social media networks, the \u2018no under 13s rule\u2019 is actually a by-product of US legislation entitled the <\/span><span lang=\"EN-AU\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/enforcement\/rules\/rulemaking-regulatory-reform-proceedings\/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; background: white;\">Children\u2019s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA).<\/span><\/a><\/span><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\"> The legislation came into effect in 2000 and is unapologetically committed to giving parents control over what information is collected from their children online.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Coppa Rule<\/h2>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\">The COPPA rule therefore targets operators of all commercial websites and online services aimed at the under 13s as well as website operators with \u2018actual knowledge\u2019 they are collecting information from individuals under the age of 13, such as Facebook.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\">And while the legislation is US-based, websites hosted overseas must comply with COPPA if they are directed to children in the US. So, in summary, if your kids are visiting the same sites that US kids would frequent, then COPPA applies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\">Now the vast majority of parents would be completely supportive of the rationale behind this legislation \u2013 even if the moaning from their yet-to-be 13 year old is wearing them down. However <\/span><span lang=\"EN-AU\"><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mark_Zuckerberg\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; background: white;\">Mark Zuckerberg<\/span><\/a><\/span><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\">, the \u2018father of Facebook\u2019 has made it clear that he believes the COPPA legislation should be overturned and that<\/span><span lang=\"EN-AU\"><a href=\"http:\/\/tech.fortune.cnn.com\/2011\/05\/20\/zuckerberg-kids-under-13-should-be-allowed-on-facebook\/\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; background: white;\"> younger children should be allowed on social networking sites like Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/span><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\">. He has also expressed his determination to change this. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\">\u201cThat will be a fight we take on at some point. My philosophy is that for education you need to start at a really, really young age.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\">No-one can dispute Mark Zuckerberg\u2019s entrepreneurial skills and business acumen &#8211; <\/span><span lang=\"EN-AU\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/digital-life\/digital-life-news\/mark-zuckerberg-now-worth-338b-as-facebook-powers-higher-on-earnings-unveils-new-app-20140131-31qen.html\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; background: white;\">he\u2019s worth nearly $US30b<\/span><\/a><\/span><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\"> \u2013 yes billion dollars. But as a mother of four boys who are particularly interested in the online world, I completely disagree with his desire to change these rules. As a society, we have a fundamental responsibility to protect our children. Guarding our children\u2019s identities, their digital reputations and most importantly, keeping them safe are, without doubt, some of the highest priorities for me as a mother. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\" style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial; color: #333333; background: white;\">So, yes \u2013 let\u2019s absolutely educate our kids about the online world. Let\u2019s explain the pitfalls, hazards and dangers. But let\u2019s not put them at risk all in the name of education!!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\">\u2018Till Next Time<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\">Stay Safe Online<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span lang=\"EN-AU\">Alex xx<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever wondered why it is that your kids can\u2019t join social media sites like Facebook until they are&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":932,"featured_media":209148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[75,3949,100,142,2205,321],"coauthors":[5150],"class_list":["post-34768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-safety","tag-cyberbullying","tag-cybersafety","tag-facebook","tag-tag-identity-theft","tag-protecting-kids-online","tag-social-networking"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why Your Kids Can\u2019t Join Facebook Until They Are 13 | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Have you ever wondered why it is that your kids can\u2019t join social media sites like Facebook until they are 13 years of age? 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