Facebook: How young is too young?

Michelle Obama has sparked debate by saying her daughters, 9 and 12, aren't allowed on the social media site — and won't be anytime soon

Michelle Obama says the one plus to her family's strict security bubble is that her daughters Malia, 12, and Sasha, nine, are restricted from using Facebook.
(Image credit: Getty)

First Lady Michelle Obama said this week that she's "not a big fan of young kids having Facebook" — adding that her own daughters, Malia, 12, and Sasha, 9, won't be allowed on the uber-popular social networking site in the near future. That stance aligns with Facebook's official policy, which urges users under age 13 not to sign up (in keeping with a federal law regarding personal info acquisition). Still, younger kids often register by just lying about their age. Should pre-teens be allowed on Facebook, or is Obama right to keep her daughters off the site?

Of course she's right: Tweens don't need to be posting status updates on Facebook, says Julie Ryan Evans at The Stir. The site's policy on kids under 13 exists for good reason. "There are plenty of years for them to get lost in online social media later." The First Lady deserves kudos "for showing Americans how to set boundaries and how to say no to children."

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