This article proposes that, since Facebook simply imposes an age limit in its terms of service, rather than providing parental controls, then, as shown by a survey of American parents of children ages 10-14, parents are willing to allow their children to lie about their age to access Facebook. And - given Pew survey results showing almost half of 12-year-olds are on social networks - the practice is widespread.
I found that there was a lot of push behind this article - see danah boyd's blog post, the Huffington Post op-ed, CNet Coverage, and more. And the survey was actually conducted by Harris Pollsters using "an invitation–only, opt–in panel that offers potential respondents an incentive in the form of a drawing for a reward," and only interpreted by the study authors.
So I conclude there was money behind this study, most likely (to judge from the Acknowledgements section) from Microsoft. Hm. Microsoft has long been interested in parental controls. It recently applied for a Kinnect patent for a parental control setting based on body dimensions (see image, above). See also this report. It has an existing product, Windows Live Family Safety. danah boyd should know, when you work for Microsoft, it just looks bad when you run studies critical of Facebook.
I found that there was a lot of push behind this article - see danah boyd's blog post, the Huffington Post op-ed, CNet Coverage, and more. And the survey was actually conducted by Harris Pollsters using "an invitation–only, opt–in panel that offers potential respondents an incentive in the form of a drawing for a reward," and only interpreted by the study authors.
So I conclude there was money behind this study, most likely (to judge from the Acknowledgements section) from Microsoft. Hm. Microsoft has long been interested in parental controls. It recently applied for a Kinnect patent for a parental control setting based on body dimensions (see image, above). See also this report. It has an existing product, Windows Live Family Safety. danah boyd should know, when you work for Microsoft, it just looks bad when you run studies critical of Facebook.
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