Posted on 05/24/2011 7:45:58 PM PDT by TheDingoAteMyBaby
Okay, lets face it. America's youngest billionaire is still young... meaning he hasn't had to keep tabs on his kids sharing personal information on Facebook. While law enforcement officials continue to warn parents about the dangers of young people using online social networking, Mark Zuckerberg boldly stated he wants to "fight" the Children's Online Protection Act (COPPA) so that children of any age can use Facebook. Why? Because it's educational.
At an education summit in Burlingame, CA earlier last week, Fortune magazine reports the college dropout correctly explained that, "Education is clearly the biggest thing that will drive how the economy improves over the long term." Then he adds that future software and technology "will enable people to learn a lot from their fellow students," citing group homework activities as a way to encourage more kids to study for tests. And what better way to facilitate these happy homework parties than Facebook?
Does he ever look at the profile of an average 13-year-old on his massive site? Does he read the news? The last thing Facebook is currently doing is facilitating education. Certainly the potential for such commendable activities could be hiding in future updates, but right now there is a far greater priority facing Mr. Zuckerberg, and that is helping the current crop of 13- to 17-year-olds stay safe and demonstrating that his company is truly able and willing to comply with COPPA in keeping under 13-year-olds from faking birthdates and using the site.
Yet that's not the direction this company appears to be headed. Convoluted privacy settings change and move around like a sideshow shell game. Now you see it, now you don't, and then -- as was the case with photos and other private information on many profiles a few months back -- now everyone sees it. No, the last thing this guy is interested in is protecting privacy. Instead, the junior tycoon says the legal restrictions that don't allow his company to collect personal information from children under 13 "...will be a fight we take on at some point." Returning to his education mantra, he adds, "My philosophy is that for education you need to start at a really, really young age."
A "really, really young age"? If parents are having a difficult time coping with the sensitive information being shared by a 15-year-old on Facebook, imagine dealing with a 5-year-old. And I can't even begin to imagine the marketing potential of having these details delivered to countless advertisers who would love to reach this audience that is often kept behind protective legislation. Yet in Zuckerberg's world, somehow nursery rhymes and honesty boxes will all come together as one big, happy educational experience.
Frankly, I doubt this determined CEO will change or destroy COPPA, but he has certainly revealed his response toward the recent report from Consumer Reports that reveals millions of underage users are lurking on Facebook after entering false ages in their profiles. When this news released a couple of weeks ago, I was naïve enough to think that Facebook executives would be scrambling to get this situation under control. Instead they are hatching a protest, perhaps soon to become a true legal challenge, against a key law that is attempting to protect the most vulnerable segment of our population.
I appreciate Mr. Zuckerberg's desire to promote education, and he has shown monetary support toward schools in the past with his $100 million donation toward education in New Jersey. Yet this young man is business first, and you can bet that adding a sizeable segment of the population to his potential user base is a monetary target far greater than this donation and is too much to ignore. Sadly, if parents are expecting Facebook to step up to the plate and protect their children from online exploitation, you may be waiting a long time... at least until Mr. Zuckerberg gets a different education in the pitfalls of social networking for children.
Not a Facbook fan and never will be.
Any legislation with the word “Children” in it is Nanny State pabulum.
Neither am I. As for children networking as they do today, I consider there to be a massive potential for destructive networking and behavior.
Let the parents decide, not your Nanny State.
pervert alert
Yes, but this guy has stated he does NOT believe in privacy and he will likely target kids with his perverted crap
Pervs ‘like them young’. I’m sure ‘Zucky’ hangs our a lot on a certain website that shall remain nameless.
Zuckerberg doesn’t put material on Facebook. The users do. The personal material is as private as the users make it. It’s up to parents to monitor what their kids do.
How do parents monitor their children’s activities when they surf the school library computers?
Schools need to monitor it.
“How do parents monitor their children’s activities when they surf the school library computers?”
If you teach your children right and trust your children, they do not need to be monitored by the Nanny State.
Sure, they’ll monitor the computers after they’ve finished teaching about condoms. There is no way my child would ever see the inside of a public school, or have a Facebook account.
And you want the Federal Government to enforce your Facebook on all parents in the country?
No, but I support COPPA.
If all parents were like you, we would be a free and smart nation again, instead of a welfare socialist state of a bunch of serfs. It only takes one generation (a fact, Lenin knew for his total transformation).
“Any legislation with the word “Children” in it is Nanny State pabulum.”
Including the following?
5502.52 Statewide emergency alert program - abducted children - false report.
That’s something the goverment does as opposed to something the goverment watches to make sure you don’t do.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.