Everyone is well aware of the social websites and its consequences. Facebook is the biggest social network in the world but the question is that should the permission be given to a child below 13 to use it? Well, it is a debatable question because half of the population favors this and half of it are strictly against it. According to me, there should not be any kind of problem in using social websites but a child should know how to use it. If a child has an account with Facebook, being a parent, you can’t access his/her account and see what they are posting or which friends they have added. So, you should only allow the kids if you can take care of the consequences.
A child below the age of 13 years are not allowed to make an account with Facebook but most of the children are using it daily by entering a fake DOB. There is a simple solution for the children who are below 13 and want to use Facebook. There is an application which comes free and allows parents to keep an eye on the account which he is using.
Messenger Kids – Free Android & iOS App
This application is specially developed for children between 6 to12. Now, parents can have more control which means every friend request need the approval of the parents before adding in the account. Chats can neither be deleted nor be hidden. Parents can check anytime they want to. This prevents kids not to talk to someone unknown.
Sleep mode can also be used by parents so that they can set the time in which they have to sleep and can’t use Facebook. It works on all smartphones and tablets. It is safer for kids because if they find something inappropriate, they can report that and direct notification is sent to their parents so that they can review it.
Positive Impacts of using Facebook For Kids
• Spending time online can help a child to compete in the broader society of this generation. Facebook is not just a medium to socialize with everyone, it also allows them to be a competitive citizen and learn how to interact with people on social websites.
• Students use this platform to make study groups for study discussion. Facebook has so many study related pages which they can use for learning something new. There is always a new way of learning because of continuous interaction with peers on a daily basis.
• It also has a positive impact on the social community by participating in social groups related to politics, fundraising campaigns etc. Facebook allows people to connect with other people from around the globe and share similar ideas and interests.
Negative Impacts of Using Facebook For Kids:
• There are so many cons of social media for kids because it is free to download through which you can add endless strangers in their friend list. It creates a type of addiction which is very difficult to get rid of.
• It is a waste of time because kids spend hours in watching pictures, videos and content posted by their friends and followed pages which has a negative impact on their learning and productive routines like study, sport etc.
• Mental health is also affected when a kid spends substantial time on Facebook and results in poor grades of students as well.
Facebook can be used for both good and bad intentions. Some use it for educational purpose while others use it for only socializing, chatting and interacting with strangers. It totally depends upon parents whether they want to let their child waste their time on social websites or use it for some productive activity. Many kids use it for fun and end up wasting substantial hours in watching videos and pictures. Facebook is like a double-edged sword which means it has some benefits with addictions on the other side which can affect your mental health as well. So beware of it when you allow your children to create an account in it.