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Many under-13s 'using Facebook’

Almost half of British children aged 9 to 12 are using social networking sites, despite minimum age limits, a report claims.

Almost half of British children aged 9 to 12 are using social networking sites, despite minimum age limits, a report claims.

One in five has a Facebook page, even though rules say they must be 13, according to EUKidsOnline.

The report's authors suggest that removing such requirements would make it easier to monitor online behaviour.

However, children's charity Kidscape criticised the idea and warned it would lead to more cyber bullying.

The research, carried out by the London School of Economics for the European Commission, was based on a survey of 25,000 young people - aged between nine and 16 - from across Europe.

It asked if they maintained a social networking profile.

In the UK, 43% of 9 to 12-year-olds answered yes, along with 88% of 13 to 16-year-olds.

The Netherlands had the highest percentage of children on social networks at 70% - however many of these were users of Hyves, a site that does not have a minimum age.

Across Europe the average figure for 9 to 12-year-olds was 38%.

The report also suggests that where parents do impose a strict policy on social networking, the majority of young people respect that guidance.

In France, 45% of parents said their children were forbidden from using social networking sites, the highest of any country in the survey.

Consequently, that country had the lowest proportion of children using social networking at 25%.

Peter Bradley, from child protection charity Kidscape, said it showed that parents must be firm with their children when it comes to internet use.

"Children are children, adults are adults. Sometimes you have to say no to your child," he said.

Read more at the BBC Online.