Facebook’s minimum age requirement is 13 years old. However, many 12 year olds still create accounts, often with parental permission. There are good arguments on both sides of this debate. Ultimately, it depends on the maturity and responsibility of the individual child.
The case for allowing 12 year olds on Facebook
Staying connected with friends
Many 12 year olds want to join Facebook to stay connected with their friends. At this age, kids are starting middle school and likely have friends attending different schools. Facebook provides a way for them to keep in touch. They can interact through messaging, commenting on posts, joining groups, and making plans. Without Facebook, they may lose touch with some friends.
Sharing experiences and interests
Facebook allows 12 year olds to share their experiences and interests with friends. They can join groups about books, movies, video games, and hobbies. This allows them to bond over common interests and feel a sense of community. At this age, sharing these experiences is an important part of identity development.
Developing technical skills
Using Facebook requires certain technical skills like navigating a dashboard interface, managing privacy settings, and digital communication. Developing these skills at a young age can be beneficial for 12 year olds as technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous.
Connecting with family
Many extended families use Facebook to stay connected. If 12 year olds are not allowed accounts, they may feel left out while their older siblings and relatives interact online. Having a Facebook account allows them to stay up to date with family news and feel included.
The case against allowing 12 year olds on Facebook
Maturity level
Twelve is a young age and most pre-teens lack the maturity to use social media responsibly. They may not exercise good judgement about what they share online or how they interact with others. Cyberbullying and inappropriate content are unfortunately common on Facebook. Pre-teens are very impressionable and may not have the maturity to handle this wisely.
Digital footprint and reputation
Anything posted on Facebook becomes part of a user’s digital footprint and can affect their future reputation. Pre-teens are likely not thinking about their long-term reputation when posting. Questionable photos, comments, and content shared at this young age may come back to haunt them later.
Privacy concerns
Facebook collects a huge amount of data on its users for advertising purposes. There are concerns about them exploiting underage users’ data. Pre-teens are unlikely to read Facebook’s dense privacy policies to make informed decisions about their personal data. But these early privacy choices can impact them for years.
Social drama
Pre-teen friendships and romances are complex and prone to social drama. Facebook can exacerbate these dynamics as pre-teens overanalyze comments or posts. Cyberbullying is also unfortunately common among this age group. Facebook’s connectivity may fuel more drama at an age when kids need to focus on their personal growth and education.
Academic focus
At age 12, academics should be the priority. Yet Facebook can be distracting and take time away from homework. There is also concern that exposure to the emotionally charged social environment on Facebook may negatively impact learning and concentration for pre-teens. Keeping 12 year olds off Facebook allows them to focus on developing study habits.
Risks of 12 year olds being on Facebook
There are some specific risks associated with 12 year olds having Facebook accounts:
Cyberbullying
12 year olds may not have the emotional intelligence to handle cyberbullying that occurs. A Center for Innovative Public Health Research study found over 15% of 11-15 year olds reported being cyberbullied within the previous year.
Predators
Unfortunately, there are online predators looking to exploit minors on social media. 12 year olds are unlikely to exercise caution interacting with strangers online.
Oversharing personal information
12 year olds are more likely to accidentally overshare personal information like their school, phone number, or home address. This puts them at risk for identity theft or harassment.
Exposure to inappropriate content
Despite Facebook’s policies, there is still inappropriate content like violence, hate speech, and pornography that young users can encounter. 12 year olds do not have the maturity to properly process this.
Reduced sleep
A study in the Journal of Adolescent Health found adolescents who used Facebook every night went to bed 8% later and slept 7% less than those not on social media. Losing sleep can negatively impact academics.
Benefits of waiting until age 13
Here are some benefits of waiting until the minimum required age of 13 to create a Facebook account:
Maturity
By age 13, users will have greater maturity and responsibility to make smart online choices. Their judgment, self-control, and social skills will be better developed.
Academic priorities
Without the distraction of social media for one more year, 12 year olds can focus their attention on developing study habits and excelling at schoolwork.
Parental guidance
Parents can provide guidance as their child learns to navigate Facebook responsibly. This allows parents to share wisdom from their own mistakes and monitor their child’s online behavior.
Understanding privacy policies
13 year olds will be better able to understand Facebook’s privacy policies and make informed decisions about their personal data and digital footprint. An extra year allows time to develop digital literacy.
Personal development
The pre-teen years are an important time to develop self-identity and self-esteem beyond social media impressions. Waiting until 13 allows more time to cultivate inner confidence and character.
Alternatives to consider
For parents debating whether their 12 year old can handle Facebook responsibly, here are some alternatives to consider:
No social media access
Simply wait until the child turns 13 to create any social media accounts. Focus on in-person friendships.
Supervised Facebook
Let your 12 year old have a Facebook account only if you will also friend or follow them. Monitor their activity and coach them through teachable moments.
Private family networking site
Create a private social network through a site like Famileo for connecting with family. This avoids public exposure.
Restrict functionality
Use parental controls to restrict functionality. Disable chat, commenting, adding friends, and posting publicly to limit potential issues.
Alternative platforms
Steer your pre-teen towards more parent-monitored platforms like Disney Circle or PopJam rather than public networks.
Questions parents should ask
If deciding whether to allow their 12 year old on Facebook, here are some questions parents should consider:
Is my child emotionally mature and responsible enough to use good judgment online?
Am I prepared to monitor my child’s Facebook activity, coach them through issues, and have ongoing conversations about appropriate use?
Do the benefits of my child connecting with friends outweigh potential risks like cyberbullying and oversharing information?
Will this distract or detract from my child’s academic focus at this important developmental stage?
Does my child understand privacy settings and are they prepared to manage their digital footprint?
Are there alternatives that will allow my child to connect with friends and family more safely?
12 Year Old’s Perspective
To better understand this issue, here are some insights from the perspective of a typical 12 year old:
Feeling left out
12 year olds with friends who are allowed Facebook accounts may feel excluded from social connections, inside jokes, event planning, and group chats.
Wanting independence
They are developing interests, identities, and friendships separate from their family. Facebook feels like a space of their own.
Fear of missing out
12 year olds have a strong fear of missing out on social connections and shared experiences their peers have on Facebook.
Not grasping long-term impact
12 year olds struggle gauging the long-term impact of social media behavior on their digital footprint and reputation. These abstract concepts are not top of mind.
Limited experience with strangers
12 year olds may share openly online because they have limited experience interacting with strangers in the real world. Naivety influences behavior.
| Pros of 12 year olds on Facebook | Cons of 12 year olds on Facebook |
|---|---|
| Stay connected with friends | Lack maturity and responsibility |
| Share interests and experiences | Damage future reputation |
| Develop technical skills early | Have privacy exploited |
| Feel included with family | Exposed to inappropriate content |
| Practice socializing | Distraction from academics |
Expert Opinions
Experts have weighed in with the following advice on 12 year olds and Facebook:
The American Academy of Pediatrics
“The AAP discourages media use, except video chatting, by children younger than 18 to 24 months…For older children, the AAP recommends limiting screen time to 1 hour per day of high-quality programming.”
The Child Mind Institute
“Aspiring tweens…need to know how to balance offline and online friendships and activities. They should be aware of oversharing personal details online and devote time each day to unplugged connection like reading, hobbies, and family time.”
Common Sense Media
“The longer kids wait to get on social media, the better…Being online can amplify drama, anxiety, rumor-spreading, and feelings of exclusion.”
Parenting Experts
Many parenting experts recommend delaying social media until at least age 13. Kids at 12 still need parental guidance in managing friendships and their digital footprint.
Conclusion
There are good arguments on both sides of whether a 12 year old should have a Facebook account. While some mature 12 year olds may be ready, it is recommended to wait until age 13. At age 12, kids still need guidance in managing their digital footprint, understanding privacy settings, avoiding inappropriate content, and using good judgment in online interactions.
Alternatives like parent-monitored platforms or family networking sites are preferable to public social media. If allowed at 12, parents should friend or follow their child’s account to provide oversight. With open communication and guidance, a 13 year old is better equipped to use Facebook responsibly. The risks outweigh potential benefits for most 12 year olds.