Thirteen is such a strange year. You’re not exactly a child, but you aren’t an adult either. You’re in this awkward, strange phase that makes you believe everyone is looking at you. The most important thing that matters is how people see you, and well, what’s more captivating to a teenager than an app that is all about yourself?
I remember begging my parents to get me a Facebook page when I was younger. I wasn’t thirteen yet, but I was only one more month away from the most important birthday of my life. I would be thirteen—a teenager, older and wiser beyond my years. I was old enough to use multiple social media accounts, not just Facebook. These sites opened a new world for me. I was finally going to be taken seriously. I’m not a child anymore; I’m a responsible person with a Facebook account.
After making these accounts, I waited for the change. I waited to see if I was, in fact, an adult. I stood at the foot of my bed, waiting for this moment of clarity. It didn’t happen. This moment of clarity wouldn’t happen until I got much older.
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| From Facebook's Help Center |
Looking back as a twenty-four-year-old, the idea of having unlimited access to the Internet at only thirteen years old is terrifying. What’s the difference between thirteen and twelve? Did I change so much between one year and now that I have the privilege of having my social media pages? Social media for an impressionable thirteen-year-old child is challenging. Being thirteen doesn’t automatically make you more mature, and I don’t think it should be the age CIPA/COPPA should target. CIPA/COPPA should not target any children; we, as educators, should teach children of all ages about Internet safety, not limit their access to social media and their friends.
Personally, I feel mixed feelings about CIPA/COPPA. Safety is essential for the internet, but just because someone is a child doesn’t mean they don’t deserve privacy. According to Jason Kelley’s article The Kids Online Safety Act Is a Heavy-Handed Plan to Force Platforms to Spy on Young People, every user has the right to privacy, including children. Kelley believed that censoring certain content can lead to a slippery slope, and laws like CIPA/COPPA can lead to censorship in education and what children can see on the Internet.
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| From Jason Kelley's Article |
It also raises questions about the safety of minors 13 and up. Where is protection against scammers, harassment, and potential dangers? Do these laws imply that 13-year-olds can have unlimited access to the Internet? CIPA/COPPA also teaches children to lie.
Honestly, nothing would’ve stopped me from just lying about my age. The difference between unlimited access to social media and just lying is shocking to me. Danah Boyd argues that these laws encourage children to lie about their age and what they see, and I agree.
To stop lying and protect children, we, as educators and librarians, must teach them about Internet Safety. What helped me be safe on the Internet wasn’t these restrictive laws that invaded my privacy; it was education about social media and the Internet. My education about the Internet helped me make informed and rational decisions online.
I agree that turning thirteen doesn’t magically make someone ready for social media. It’s a big responsibility, and many kids aren’t truly prepared. Laws like CIPA and COPPA try to protect kids, but they don’t solve everything. You make a great point when you stated that education is the most powerful tool. When kids learn how to use the internet safely and think about what they’re doing online, they’re better protected. Instead of just blocking things, we should focus on teaching kids of all ages how to be smart and safe online.
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