Tech Report: Facebook Sees Growing Number Of Users Under 12
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – A new survey has found that 38 percent of children in the U.S. who use Facebook are under the age of 12.
Children are logging on despite terms of service that states children under the age of 13 are not allowed to use the website.
KCBS Technology Analyst Larry Magid, who is on Facebook's Safety Advisory Board, said that the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act is in place to ensure that children under the age of 13 who use services like Facebook have parental consent to do so.
KCBS Technology Analyst Larry Mgid:
MinorMonitor, a tool for parents to watch their children's Facebook activities, surveyed 1,000 parents and also found that 40 of the 1,000 children represented who use Facebook were under the age of six.
Magid said that while he's not surprised by the numbers, he thinks this might lead to a renewed look at changing the Facebook experience for young users to assure that they are safe, while also optimizing their online experience.
You can hear Larry Magid's Tech Report Monday through Friday at 3:50pm on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
