Should Facebook be banned for under 18s? [ENDS 08/04/2012]

[Deeb]

But you're suggesting others should take responsibility over other peoples children by saying the Government should intervene, when the only intervention should be through the education system. Children are not going to learn about privacy and the internet if the nanny-state ideology traps them in a safety net, when already existent laws the Government have created could be easily taught in schools - which I really hope is taught in schools, considering how it is one of the most important things in todays internet-oriented society.

Besides, it would be a complete waste of money for the Government to police the internet IF the children are not taught how to use it, something policing never does until a crime is committed.

Government intervene when you have an accident in work, when you're sacked for no reason or if you were in danger. The same goes for children, you're making out as if children should be looked after solely by their parents, what about social services or child protection agencies set up by the government?

The fact is the government are responsible for keeping adults safe already, as well as children which is why new safeguarding measures should be in place to do with the internet, starting with facebook!

[GommeInc]

Government intervene when you have an accident in work, when you're sacked for no reason or if you were in danger. The same goes for children, you're making out as if children should be looked after solely by their parents, what about social services or child protection agencies set up by the government?

The fact is the government are responsible for keeping adults safe already, as well as children which is why new safeguarding measures should be in place to do with the internet, starting with facebook!

No, I'm suggesting the educational system does what it should do and that's to educate children and their parents, to the extent the parents survey what their children are doing (parents are, in legal terms, guardians of their children). The Government do not need to intervene further, there are already laws that protect children from cyber crime and bullying - there does not need to be anymore. Big businesses like Facebook do not need the Government breathing down their neck for easy to solve problems like online security, which is purely handled on a user level with security settings. Facebook should not be to blame for pure ignorance on behalf of the child and the immediate parents, where the safeguards already exist. It would be impossible for the Government and Facebook to moderate online users, when they are anonymous at the best of times and can fake their ages. There is no way it can be easily regulated, specifically when this is a non-problem

[Shockwave.2CC]

I say no because if facebook was banned for under 18s, then they'll just find somewhere else to go on like Twitter, Bebo, Myspace and others. So if they ban Facebook for under 18s, they might aswell ban everything for under 18s

[Deeb]

No, I'm suggesting the educational system does what it should do and that's to educate children and their parents, to the extent the parents survey what their children are doing (parents are, in legal terms, guardians of their children). The Government do not need to intervene further, there are already laws that protect children from cyber crime and bullying - there does not need to be anymore. Big businesses like Facebook do not need the Government breathing down their neck for easy to solve problems like online security, which is purely handled on a user level with security settings. Facebook should not be to blame for pure ignorance on behalf of the child and the immediate parents, where the safeguards already exist. It would be impossible for the Government and Facebook to moderate online users, when they are anonymous at the best of times and can fake their ages. There is no way it can be easily regulated, specifically when this is a non-problem

I think Facebook is a problem - as well as any other social networking site. Government make laws such as it's mandatory for seat belts to be worn, smoking is for 18+ in order to protect us. So laws such as security settings should be taken online as well, especially since nowadays the internet is used a lot more.

[GommeInc]

I think Facebook is a problem - as well as any other social networking site. Government make laws such as it's mandatory for seat belts to be worn, smoking is for 18+ in order to protect us. So laws such as security settings should be taken online as well, especially since nowadays the internet is used a lot more.

You're mistaking the Government as a business that absorbs other companies to control them. Facebook already has security settings and the Government should never intervene with big business. Laws already exist like the ones that make seat belt wearing mandatory - data protection laws, laws against sex with minors, corporation laws... Not to mention, as is continuously repeated - it would be impossible to impose these laws when Facebook does not go into the homes of every user to check their age, and the Government should never break privacy laws and pass these details onto companies like Facebook to help them moderate their users.

It would be easier and wiser to teach children about online dangers and how to effectively use social network sites. This comes from proper parenting, because as a parent you legally are in charge of your children, AND the education system, which should be drumming into children the online dangers from a young age. Human beings aren't stupid, but asking the nanny-state to intervene when man evolved with such powerful brains will only make them stupid.

[Deeb]

Regardless of how smart we are as a race, that has nothing to do with the protection of children. Children are unsafe on facebook and something should be done about it - I'm not saying ban them from facebook, I'm saying make measures where children automatically have strict security settings, continue educating children about online safety yes, but you shouldn't leave the issue down to the parents.

Especially when the majority of parents don't know what they're doing themselves online.

[Charlie]

No, what'd be the point. They'd go somewhere else and the reasons you could list to ban under 18s will happen there. At the end of the day, the internet is always going to have those people that aren't who they're making themselves out to be and you can do whatever you like to try and protect children and it will work as long as parents and children and whoever else make it work but there will always be those few people who manage to go without being caught or that one child who is silly enough not to listen.

[GommeInc]

Regardless of how smart we are as a race, that has nothing to do with the protection of children. Children are unsafe on facebook and something should be done about it - I'm not saying ban them from facebook, I'm saying make measures where children automatically have strict security settings, continue educating children about online safety yes, but you shouldn't leave the issue down to the parents.

Especially when the majority of parents don't know what they're doing themselves online.

Facebook 'Minor' Policy:
http://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/minors

The safeguards are already in place, the Government need not come into it. They're usually automatic.

[Conspiracy.]

-18's would just lie about their age (which would be more dangerous) and join anyway.

People get bullied online and offline, bullying wouldn't stop. Online bullying is easier to deal with in my opinion as there's a "block" button (which unfortunately a lot of people don't use); there isn't a "block" button in real life.

Just educate people on online safety.

I just think it would be really harsh to ban a 16/17 year old who are just using it to talk to friends :| I had a bebo when I was 14 and I was fine.

[Deeb]

Facebook 'Minor' Policy:
http://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/minors

The safeguards are already in place, the Government need not come into it. They're usually automatic.

I don't use facebook so I wouldn't know what they have or have not implemented. However if they have already implemented restrictions for minors and their security settings are already fully private, so people can't just find them with just a name then that is fantastic, the government do not need to get involved.