Use of Facebook by Children Aged 10-12 . Presence in Social Media Despite the Prohibition

Abstract

Social media, such as Facebook, play an important role in human life. More and more often we can observe them also finding their way into the world of children, who use them to achieve specific benefits. The research sample consisted of children aged 10 – 12, namely those who – due to the restrictions in the Facebook regulations – are not allowed to use it. The purpose of the study was to identify the number of children aged 10 – 12 who use Facebook, as well as how they use this medium. The research findings, obtained in the diagnostic survey and the focus interview, indicate that: the vast majority of the respondents have accounts on Facebook, and the older the child, the greater the probability that he/she has his/her own profile. Girls have more friends and photos on the Facebook profile than boys, and the number of friends grows along with the users’ age. The research results presented in the article are the benchmark for educational activities that should be undertaken in order to regulate the usage of Facebook by children under 13 years of age.