Facebook Mulls Allowing Accounts For Kids Under Age 13

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Facebook is mulling over the idea of creating a structured space on its website specifically for kids under the age of 13, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Facebook’s current terms of service prohibit accounts by those under age 13, but as a spokesperson told The Journal:

“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…We are in continuous dialogue with stakeholders, regulators and other policy makers about how best to help parents keep their kids safe in an evolving online environment.”

The report comes just on the heels of Facebook’s vehement denial to UK paper The Telegraph that it would consider opening the website to under-13s.

That denial itself was sparked off by a report published by another UK paper, The Sunday Times, on May 20, featuring comments by Facebook’s director of policy for the UK and Ireland, Simon Milner, acknowledging that many children 13 and younger were using the website and that their parents were happy about it. 

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: