Free Social Networking Sites for Kids

Social media and social networking has become more and more popular as a consequence of Facebook and MySpace. Social networking sites have many different uses based on the interests of the customer. Although Facebook and MySpace started out for friends to connect, users are now able to create groups to connect those with similar interests and create business profiles to use being a marketing tool. Originally these websites were targeted towards college and high school graduation kids; however, the age demographic has been growing older. The phrase My Mom i€™s on Facebook became a popular joke and even sparked an Saturday Night Live skit.

The age of users has also been getting younger and younger in the past few years. Although there’s an age limit of 13 years old on most social networking sites, kids are still logging on and creating accounts with a false age. This limit is necessary as a result of mature content and to protect kids from potential predators. There are a number on social networking websites that are targeted towards kids younger than 13 and their moms and dads. There are several things to consider when choosing the right social networking website for small children.

Parents need to know about the websites their children are utilizing and evaluate if a lot of these sites are safe. Parents ought to determine how often a person who and communication is monitored. The site should have security and safety rules and privacy policies posted on the site. Safe social networking sites should have TRUSTe Children’s Privacy close, ESRB Privacy Online Method seal, or VeriSign Secured seal visible to moms and dads. Parents need to discover if there are any inappropriate links or ads on the webpage. All content needs to be age appropriate if the site is specifically targeted towards kids under age 13.

After choosing the right social networking site there are a few follow-up questions that parents should ask. Parents need to question their kids about what they want to use the social media site for and what content they plan on uploading and posting for their friends to see. Make sure they know the type of information that needs to be kept private such as where they are located. Most sites have level of privacy settings and parents must ensure that their profiles settings are set for the optimum privacy. This protects strangers from preying on young children. Parents should also generate their own accounts to be able to monitor what their kids are posting and who they are friends with.

Kids social networking sites have many positive aspects and kids do not need to be discouraged from utilizing these sites. Social networks allow kids to make friends with children from all over the world and keep in touch with classmates who have moved away. Kids can join or create groups to connect with other people who share similare interests as them. By creating their own profiles, kids are able to express themselves in their own personal space and discover what interests them. Several sites offer online educational tools to aid kids with their homework. With the right mix of fun, learning, and parental involvement kids and tweens can enjoy themselves on social networking sites.