Facebook requires its members to be at least 13 years-old to use the site. However, 44 per cent of British children aged between eight to 12 years-old are routinely flouting this age limit and logging onto the popular social networking site.
New research, which surveyed 2,000 children aged between six and 14, across the UK and the US, found that British children who are under the Facebook age limit, were using the site more than their American counterparts. In the US, 37 per cent of eight to 12 year-olds access the site on a regular basis.
The study, compiled by Dubit, a youth research specialist, also found that by the age of 12, 58 per cent of children in the UK and the US have a Facebook account. Additionally 23 per cent of eight-year olds regularly access Facebook – with 10 per cent of them getting their first taste for the social network by using their parents’ accounts.
The statistics have emerged on ‘Safer Internet Day’, a period of 24 hours during which web companies and providers, often introduce new measures to ramp up internet safety for children.
TalkTalk has just announced that it is to ask all parents signing up for broadband if they want to protect their children from potentially harmful web content. And David Cameron has pledged his support for any measures which give parents great powers to make sure their children are safe when surfing the web.
The study also discovered that 66 per cent of six year-old children are aware of Facebook.
More than half (53 per cent) of the children interviewed said that they would like a ‘junior’ Facebook to be created, so they could access the site legitimately.
Ian Douthwaite, chief executive of Dubit, said: “This research should be welcome news to Facebook who have a great opportunity to widen their audience and legitimise these kids’ membership. It also explains the popularity of games like Moshi Monsters and Bin Weevils which are giving children a safe place to play online. Our research shows that games are one of the main reasons for children joining social networks: This includes the fact that 36 per cent of 6 to 14 year-olds have played games on Facebook in the last month, higher than any other gaming portal and emphasising the importance games play in attracting children to social networks.
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