Innocent youngsters' use of Facebook concerns principals

BY KIRSTY JOHNSTON

Last updated 05:00 30/04/2010

ROBERT CHARLES/Taranaki Daily News

NOT A FAN: Norfolk School principal Jason Elder fears too many young children are using Facebook behind their parents' backs and they could be in danger.

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Schoolchildren as young as 10 are becoming the targets of identity theft on Facebook.

Taranaki principals say the theft is but one of a growing number of problems associated with very young children using the social networking site.

Until now, Facebook has largely been the domain of adults and older teens, but a Taranaki primary school has discovered that this is no longer the case.

Norfolk School principal Jason Elder had to investigate an identity theft this week after reports one of his students was being impersonated online.

An older boy had allegedly been posing as a girl from the school, upsetting her and her family, Mr Elder said.

By the time he checked Facebook, the profile had been deleted and the matter resolved between the families, but the principal was shocked to find just how many of his Year 7 and 8 students were using the site.

"I was really surprised at how many of my students were on there – with them being so young," he said. "`There were 15 names at least, and that just from looking at one child's page and seeing all their friends. One of the year eights – a 12-year-old – had more than 300 friends."

He doubted whether the student's parents even realised the dangers of their children using the site – if they knew they were using it at all.

"They can go anywhere they want on the internet and their parents don't know what they're doing. It's like walking down Queen St in Auckland by themselves," Mr Elder said.

"Any child could go on there and make an account. It's just so dangerous. There are so many guys out there who are using it to target young females."

He stressed the need for parents to monitor what their children were doing and to educate themselves about the technology.

Mr Elder's concerns were backed up by other Taranaki primary and intermediate principals, including Oakura school principal Lynne Hepworth.

"We do have serious concerns about the number of younger and younger children on Facebook," Mrs Hepworth said.

"The age of them is just so young – I would say we have children younger than Year 7 on Facebook now – and they just don't realise the implications of what they're doing."

DANGERS

Other users can easily take your ID and impersonate you. All they need is a name and a photo.
Many people use sites such as Facebook for bullying because it is safer than facing someone in person.
Children and teenagers can be easily pressured by their peers into doing silly things online.
Those you meet online might not be who they say they are.
Any information posted online stays there – children do not realise those consequences.

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SOLUTIONS

Help your children to understand that they should never give out personal details to online friends.
Explain to your children what information about them is personal. Small pieces of information can easily be pieced together.
Advise your children not to post any pictures, videos or information on their profiles, or in chat rooms, that they would not want a parent or carer to see.
Help your child to understand that some people lie online.

- © Fairfax NZ News