A Parents’ Guide to Facebook

From: Curriculum ConnectionsSchool Library Journal

January 4, 2011. By Alicia Eames

A Parents’ Guide to Facebook, by Anne Collier and Larry Magid, the Co-Directors of ConnectSafely.org, is a 34-page resource available online as a printable PDF file. It begins with an introduction to Facebook’s features and uses, addressing topics such as “How do we parent Facebook users?” and “Digital footprints & good reputations,” along with sensible suggestions. For example, “…the No. 1 safety tip is ‘Talk with your child.'”

While Facebook is designed for users aged 13 and older, there’s nothing to stop younger children from side-stepping that guideline with a few simple, albeit dishonest, clicks of the mouse. The authors note, “A July 2010 survey found that 37% of U.S. 10-to-12-year olds were on Facebook, which means that every one of these children had to lie about their age to get on the service.”

Check out the link on the library home page under “Parents” to this PDF document.