The experts were also skeptical that COPPA was standing in the way of Facebook. COPPA doesn't forbid kids from using any social networking sites but instead tries to provide protection from unscrupulous advertisers trying to use their personal data. Dr. O' Keeffe says that function is important. targeted ads on Facebook, along with some of the more dangerous social interactions the site makes possible, can expose kids to a lot of questionable content if there aren't some restrictions in place.

Denise Terry, chief "Safety Mom" at parental control site agrees. "The whole point of COPPA is to protect kids and their privacy and kids have a right to protection. There are things that Facebook can do to comply with COPPA." The simplest way that Facebook could become COPPA compliant would be simply adding some kind of parental approval form for young children using the site a strategy.

While Mrs. Lenhart said that the Pew Research Center didn't take a specific stand on policy issues like COPPA she also said that kid's online lives need some formal protection as they learn how to communicate online. "There are certain things we need to learn how to do but we have a licensing process for, like cars. You have to be a certain age and a certain level of maturity before we go out and let you operate that machinery."

Useful Alternatives for Kids

It's likely however that kids will use social networks one way or another. have suggested that 5 million kids under the age of 10 may already be using Facebook. "There's a reason there are already kids under that age on the site" according to Mrs. Lenhart. Facebook "connect[s] kids to friends and family members they don't get to see."