We all use Facebook and many of the blogs on Active Rain are about improving your profile. But status updates, news feeds, and photos aren’t just for teens and adults anymore.

Researchers say a growing number of children using Facebook and MySpace despite requirements to be at least 13. These sites have no way to verify ages so children pretend to be older when signing up. Now there are a growing number of networking sites geared toward young users like Disney’s Club Penguin, WebKinz, KidSwirl and Whyville. 

Its scary for many reasons, the exposure to adult content, the lack of privacy, the predators who use these sites. But here’s another--some scientists worry that pre-adolescent use of the site could be damaging to children's relationships and brains and cause internet addiction.

If you allow your younger children to have a social network account, make sure it is with your permission and you limit time spent on the site. Make sure you know the password so you can get on if needed or monitor their pages. ALso, make sure your children put as little personal information as possible and set the settings so their profile can only be seen by confirmed friends. 

It will be interesting to see what happens to this technology-driven generation as they grow up with the internet. What do you think about young children using these sites?

And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection

Best Regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CRB CRS GRI GREEN

2007 President, Orange COunty Association of Realtors

www.michaelcarusorealestate.com

Read CNN article here