Facebook

[rockyracoon]

I've had a letter home from school regarding FB and under 13's having accounts. Apparently a couple of herberts have set up fake accounts in their classmates names and sent messages to others. Obviously the school has gone mad, my daughter was called in and interrogated by the headmistress and made to log on to her FB account and show the private messages in her inbox. I must stress my daughter was not involved in this, I logged into her account last night and found that one of the herberts had inboxed my daughter and told her what she had done and was worried about getting in trouble, my daughter steered well clear. So, tonight, daughter as come home fom school distraught, worried that the police are going to arrest her or having a FB account as the school told her it's illegal, they also said this in the letter they sent home to parents. Now, 2 questions if anyone can answer, is there a law (I know there is in the States) that says it's illegal for under 13's to have an account and has there been an invasion of her privacy re the opening of her private messages. I don't want to get into rows about the why's and wherefore's of FB, just advice on what the law might say. Thanks for any responses. The kids are aged 11 by the way.

[Buenchico]

To the best of my knowledge, any legal restrictions which may exist in the USA only apply to internet services (such as Facebook) permitting under-13s to have social networking accounts. Young people themselves don't commit any offence by ignoring the rules.

There are no relevant similar legal restrictions in the UK.

However hacking into someone else's account, to read their messages, is a serious criminal offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.

Chris

[Teddy_boy]

Closer supervision of children by parents would stamp this behaviour out completely.11 year olds could be prey to allsorts.

[sherrardk]

My 11 year old has a FB account and I know the password. He knows that I reserve the right to log on to his account to check for anything he shouldn't be doing, etc (the same goes for his computer in general).

[rockyracoon]

Thanks for your responses, it's what I thought. I wish the school would get there facts right grrr. Same as me sherrard, I have the passwords to both the kids accounts and I do regularly log into them and nose around, that's how I found out about this problem before the school, infact we had a discussion about it at dinner last night. I'm jst deciding whether or not to write to the headmistress.

[NOX]

I suggest that you do. Whilst cyber bullying is a very serious matter, especially amongst the age range you describe, so is being bullied and terrified by a headmistress who is in a position of authority over you on a daily basis. This woman well overstepped the mark in insisting on reading personal messages and her feet wouldn't touch the ground if it were my child. Outrageous.

[sherrardk]

Have you thought of sending a group letter from some/all of the other parents whose children were involved/investigated? You could maybe get it sorted out over the holidays. The reason why I say this is because head teachers (in my opinion and experience) tend to be a it power mad and have been known to single out pupil's who don't dance to their particular tune. If a number of you voice your feelings as a group then it will dilute the attention shown to any individual pupil.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks again, I'll ask her who else was interrogated and see if I can contact their parents. I need to have a think about what write because at the moment it's not too pleasant.