Why the Hate for Facebook?

Idk... I have a Facebook and I don't cheat, get in dramatic fights or waste my life away like everyone seems to attribute to the site.

I agree with you and I do not get all the hate for FB either?

My teenagers all have accounts and we are all friends on FB...so is ALL of my family...we see everything! I think it's great!

I think Meagan M. hit the nail on the head with this one!

Ignorance and fear of the unknown. Letting other people dictate your opinions and views. What else could it be? No self-thinker would have any issues with Facebook as long as it's used properly. There's just nothing evil about it.

I totally agree with you.

In our families we are all on facebook.. Even my 90 year old grandmother. Because of this.. the younger kids.. 12 yrs old etc.. really behave themselves.

I get the feelings because maybe some of these moms on here have some crazy friends or relatives.. the posts that get onto their pages is full of drama, or not perceptible behaviors.

I do not have people like that on my page.

I noticed my nephew who is the Quarterback on his High School Varsity team and seems to be quite a ladies man and has over 1200 friends, his page is pretty clean. Sure a few guys will post some vulgar words, but my nephew will post, "Hey, my family is reading this!", Or a photo may show up that looks a bit questionable and someone will contact my sister, to make sure approves.

My niece is now 13 but has had a page since 6th grade.. and same thing. They are goofy and anytime anyone tries to post something not appropriate, she speaks up.

If anything, I think it is good for these kids to use facebook while they are under our watch. It is teaching them how to use the internet correctly and safely.. Just like a student driver.. these kids are being student social media and internet students.

Remember, once your children are in high school many of them will need to be on FB for their clubs, youth groups, etc.. This is how they get updates etc..

Never underestimate your children. Give them responsibilities and watch over them, but at least give them a chance to prove they are responsible.

Sounds like you've thrown this out before checking the consequences of using the tool in an irresponsible manner.
It IS a tool, but many kids/adults do not use it in a manner which is harmless.
There's the cyber bullying.
There's the drama.
There's the people who've lost jobs over Facebook content because every HR dept is all over it.
There's the local teen who was almost suspended for 'jokingly' saying on Facebook she's like to shoot her English teacher (over a paper she felt should have received a higher grade).
There's the pedophiles/stalkers who target gullible kids/people into meeting up with them somewhere.
There's the teens who finally get out of college with a degree then can't get hired till their data gets scrubbed/deleted.
It's true - some people have absolutely no problems/issues with Facebook.
And you shouldn't blame the tool when it is used in an unwise manner.
But many many users of Facebook are idiots and they use it in a way that might as well be a huge billboard in their front yard announcing to the world "I'm a complete and total A**hole" loudly and proudly.
I'm not in any rush to hang out with these people.
We don't and will not use Facebook in our house.

I couldn't agree more!

My MIL just goes on and on about the evils of Facebook. But both of MY kids (now 21 and 17) have had FB accounts for a few years now. While they won't 'friend' me, they are friends with all their cousins, both of my brothers (their uncles) my sister in law, my husbands aunt, other friends of mine who are adults etc. . . .
And I am friends will ALL my nieces and nephews who have accounts. I will not post something on their wall, but I have sent them private messages just reminding them how something could be seen by others, but that is rare.

As for why I have a FB account? It is a way for me to reconnect with friends and relatives I've lost contact with over the years. My parents were divorced when I was 8. I"m now in contact with one of my aunts and all of my cousins from my father's side of the family.
It's a quick way to stay in the loop with other friends and family too.

Many businesses have FB pages and you can find out about deals and discounts only by the FB page.
Charities have FB pages.

I also have a Twitter account and most of the time between the 2, I hear about breaking news stories before anyone else.

Oh, and statistically it is the 'adult' demographic who is the fastest growing on FB, not the kids. And for the exact reasons I listed above. An easy-fun way to stay in touch with friends and relatives.

Added~ LOVE IT, Meagan!

I agree with you!!! my son has an account but at this time does not have his password. So he's only on it at home or his girlfriends house cause I gave her mom the password. My son has pretty much then entire family on his friends so like yours everyone see's what he posts and knows it. If there is enough parental control I see no issue with it.

Because moms on here think anyone younger than 21 doesn't have a brain - or at least when someone under the age of 21 wants to respond to something or have an opinion - God forbid it be political.

I think there is no need for someone under the age of 13 to have a Facebook - that's my opinion that it's ridiculous. To each their own.

Once someone is over the age of 13, why not?

I think it's a good thing. It's yet another way for me to keep an eye on my kids, and I like being able to stay in touch with people I may not see often or talk to regularly.
I think the haters are people who have a lot of drama in their lives. I don't put up with any of that, I'm pretty selective. I have accepted a few friend requests from long lost friends and coworkers who have turned out to be drama queens/attention whores and I have just quietly un-friended them, no big deal.

I'm 100% with you! I love facebook, mainly farmville, but to keep in touch with family and friends that are far away. I have moved. But this isn't about me, it's about my kids. My older two, 16 & 14, have had an account pretty much since facebook came out. I'm friends with both of them. My kids are good kids, and I do trust them. I used to go to their pages all the time, but now every once in awhile, love reading some of the comments that are mad. I use to have their account information too, but I've forgot it, also, I do trust them.

You need to have an open relationship with your teens, give them some trust, espeically if they have earned it. We were all teenagers once, and thought our parents didn't have a clue. Well, I think for the most part they realize we did... and between their father and I, I think we've done it all, and they know not too.

I'm not a Hater of facebook for teens...

I think it's cute that people look down on it as though they are soooo far above that childish nonsense. Condescending and oh so intelligent that they are.

They are putting thier foot down on social media in the same way my mom refused to get a cell phone or learn to use a computer.

To a large degree, I am with you. My 13 yr old has an account. I have his password, and told him what he is allowed (or not allowed) to post: address, phone numbers, mean things about others, etc....
I agree that the majority of dumb stuff seems to be posted by the college age or young 20something crowd. At least that is what I have noticed. Even amongst our family.

My daughter doesn't have one, she is a bit younger. And has no need. My son has middle school friends that he keeps up with sometimes (he really is not that big into FB). For example, one of his teachers from last year evidently has breast cancer, and the kids that had her set up a FB page to support her and invited a bunch of the school kids to an "event" thru the page, spreading the word that this Friday they all plan to wear pink to surprise her and in support of breast cancer awareness. It's her last day this year before she begins treatment. Some kids even posted that they will bring pink duct tape for anyone who doesn't own any pink clothes (boys mostly, lol).
It isn't all bad. It's like most things--- you have to look at the person behind it. And how it is used. Things are just things. It is how they are used and by whom. Guns aren't criminal--people are. FB isn't "bad", but people can be thoughtless.

I agree with you, I don't see anything wrong with it. I am considering allowing my eight-year-old to have a facebook account. We would restrict it to having family members and close friends only as friends, no pictures allowed, and the privacy settings will be as restricted as possible. We will have her password at all times, and will supervise her usage. She likes to play some of the apps on my facebook, so this way she can do it on her own account. She doesn't have her own computer, ipod, or iphone, so no way can she log in without me knowing about it. Honestly, I see nothing wrong with that.

I don't like it because people are using Facebook instead of picking up a phone and socializing human to human. People are losing their social skills. Also, people are quick to "type" something that they might think twice about saying.

Also, it is very easy for an unwanted sort to become a "friend" simply by friending someone else and getting through that way. I will also tell you for a fact that law enforcement is on it all the time; they are using false names and information and friending all kinds of people and getting all kinds of information. Their way of skirting the Fourth Amendment. Law enforcement is not worrisome, but if they can do it, then someone else not so savory can do it.

I just think that people should talk face-to-face or by phone. Photos can be e-mailed and then they are only visible to the people you send them to - not just any tom-dick-or harry that figures out how to get onto your page.

I just don't think any of the social networking sites are safe - Face Book, My Space or any other.

I totally agree with you - it's designed for teens and young adults! My two oldest are 14 and 13. I am on FB every day, way more often than they are (I work at a computer and spend a lot of time running programs and sitting on conference calls...hence the reason I'm also on here so often). My son goes on once a week or so, when someone messages him there instead of calling or texting. He can also get in touch with his hockey teams (present and past) and coaches there. My SD can't get on to her account by herself (there was problem in the past with someone contacting her who shouldn't have been able to...it was a family member not another kid) so we log her in whenever she asks. It's maybe once every week to 10 days. She catches up with friends in her old town, pops on to her mother's page to see what she's up to (mom doesn't contact her at all so this is the only way we know where she is or what she's doing), and exchanges messages with her extended family who all live out of state.

It's just another communication tool, not something evil. We have their IDs and passwords and can log in as them whenever we want and monitor their accounts. They're both pretty boring LOL.

As a recent teenager... I am not going to ask your question exactly but just mention...

How as a mom do you know that your son does NOT have an account that you are NOT aware of? He may have an account that you have access to...but as a 15 year old...he has the knowledge to make his own account. Just because it says ("you must be 18") it doesn't mean he can't lie and say he is...Just saying cause I was a "angel" child growing up who could do no wrong but I tell you there were some things that I still got into and my parents had no clue. So Facebook can be a bad thing...especially for young kids who sneak around.

I don't hate facebook, I happen to enjoy the contact that I can have with friends all over....

No hate for Facebook here - but parents do need to be involved and monitoring it. Unsupervised, its a great place for kids to get into all kinds of problems - from bullying to posting inappropriate content that could hurt their college admissions.

Parents need to take the time to educate themselves on social media and their children's digital footprint and take an active role in educating their children.

Used correctly, students can do all kinds of positive things with Facebook and Twitter. A high school student here organized a protest against some proposed immigration legislation using his Facebook account, in which thousands of students showed up and participated.

Children can help each other with homework or promote their own work - I see lots of my former students posting photography or other work or interests and have referred them to different organizations for education or jobs based on their facebook posts.

I also have former students (teenagers) who post provocative pictures of themselves (and then find them later on someone else's site through a google search) and write in all kinds of nasty language.

Kids need to be supervised wherever they are - and if they are not, they will probably do something an adult would not like. The issue is - if its 1985 and a kid is at an unsupervised party and does something inappropriate - only the people at the party see it and only a few circles of communication out know and its eventually forgotten. If a child does something inappropriate on Facebook, everyone in the world can potentially see it, and the child may never be able to erase it.

I have two grown or almost grown stepkids and I use FaceBook myself. But do I necessarily think it's for kids? No. If you keep an eye on your kid (we frequently ask SD, "So who is that? Where do you know him/her from?") you might still not catch something said behind the scenes. My SD has a fairly decent head on her shoulders, but I've seen things from her peers that we (and her mom) have asked her to remove or talked more about. We have also asked her repeatedly to not post her school and year or details like what town she lives in. Anyone who is really her friend already knows that. FB keeps changing and I do not trust their "privacy" settings. It's not private. Now, some kids don't care, but I do. And I care about them, even if they don't care about themselves. Nevermind the cyberbullying and other nonsense. So I don't think it's evil, but I do think that you need to keep an eye on your kid's social media. A lot of the time I will question a parent who allows an under-aged kid to be on FB. I know people who have already set up accounts for their toddlers. Really? Too much, IMO. FB also caused SS so much grief at one point that he deleted his whole account for about a year.

I am also not into the whole "let it all hang out" mentality. If they need to know something as a family, there's dinner.

To each his own...FB isn't allowing a sign up until age 14 tho' many ppl have their kidz use a different BD...It's all in where your particular child goes & to whom...if you don't have a prob with your son having an account that's cool...others do have a prob...it alwayz comes back to, 'follow your gut instinct'...parent the best way you know how to for YOUR child/children & that is ALL you can do.

Not all kids are honest and trust worthy. A friend of mine has a step daughter who had a facebook account and my friend deleted the account every time her step daughter posted very sexy-like pictures of herself. By the way, the step daughter is 15 years old. And yes, I agree with the previous poster who stated that the kid could still create an account that mom and dad do NOT know about and I believe this is far more common than any parents realize.

Kids are known for making poor decisions, though adults make poor choices as well, but teenagers especially do not seem to care about the consequences of their actions so it is a parent's prerogative to allow their child to have a facebook account or not.

My 15 yr old stepson has a FB account. I do not approve whatsoever, but dad has the say, not me. About 6 months ago, he began acquiring 'friends' that by appearance, were girls his own age, but had names like GetIn Meh'Bed, Closeyo'legshoar Itsmellslikefish.., Comeon'baby Openyo Leqswidefo'meh, GiveMe EverythingTonight, GoPlank OnYo'DaddysDick, and numerous other vile made up names. He began having conversations with these people - who were probably nothing more than sex predators who had used pictures of pretty young girls to lure teenage boys into conversation. He left his FB open one day and his dad and I went through and deleted all these 'friends' and then blocked them, but his dad apparently thinks it is a violation of his son's privacy to demand that we have his password to monitor what he does on there. Do you really think that it is safe for your child to be exposed to stuff like this? It is naive to think that stupid stuff is only posted by the 21 and over crowd. I also have a nephew who is 12 and was receiving death threats on his FB wall by someone his own age. I have seen friends' teenage daughters demean other teenage girls and call them sluts and whores ON FACEBOOK. I have seen pictures of boobs posted by young girls. I have seen embarrassing pictures posted of kids kissing each other. And what about stuff posted by your kids adult friends that may just be too mature for them to be exposed to or digest. Why open pandora's box? Please, please - to all you mom's out there - do not be oblivious to the dangers of FB for your kids.

WHY: Because children are not quite mature enough to deal with the social impack of their words. And On top of this children like to pick on others in Cliques---and on FB they can do so and feel that they can be as mean as they want.

Or they share private info with another----that gets around cyberspace.

Hence even your teen may ot mature enough to deal with the severe lack of privacy on FB.

Facebook is not for everyone. Some people find it (me), Like High School on Computer. But some people love it. People with businesses and friends far away especially.