Facebook for Teens

[Melanie]

Just an observation, as my boys have gotten older and into social media a bit more, I've been noticing a trend - they don't like Facebook. Their big thing is Instagram. My oldest also has a Twitter, because his math teacher and baseball coach both use it for communication and encourage it.

I just saw this quote on WTOP, a local news site, which prompted me to start this thread:


Teens have stopped using FB because their parents are now using it. When too many of your Mom's friends start to like your status updates--it is time to go.

So, for the rest of you with teens, are you seeing this trend as well? I can't help but wonder if the powers that be at FB are trying to figure out how to get back the teen crowd. Or didn't they just buy Instagram?

[Ian]

While oldest DD isn't techincally a teen (she turns 11 next month) she's the oldest child and a girl so she's 11 going on 16. ;)

And yes ... she's all about Instagram. She has a FB account that she never uses, but she's on Instagram about 100 times a day.

[VWL Mom]

I think a lot of them stopped using facebook when the schools started stalking them and monitoring their moves. My boys always had mom stalking them so that was a non-issue.

DS17 still uses FB, DS21 is more into twitter and instachat. If FB wants to get back their audience they need to step it up.

[SBETigg]

When mine were teens, they also were not into Facebook and Twitter. They were all about Tumblr. Some Instagram, but mostly Tumblr. My daughter, now 19, has been more into her Facebook once she started college, but she is still on Tumblr. My son(21) hasn't much interest in any of it, but he does have a Facebook that he uses to keep up with high school and college friends very occasionally. Oh, Reddit. I almost forgot. Both of my adult kids frequent Reddit. I've never been to Reddit.

I think the impression is that Facebook and Twitter are more for us older people, but then they do grow older, too.

[DVC2004]

My 14 year old son has a Facebook account but rarely uses it. He communicates with friends mostly through the XBOX live program/headset on his gaming system. He doesn't care to take or upload any pictures most of the time so no interest in Instagram. The oldest has no interest in Facebook (almost 16).

[Katzateer]

My girls use them very little these days- Stephanie says Facebook is boring. I know she is using other sites on the computer but have no idea what. I can barely keep up with Facebook and Intercot :blush:

My oldest is on Facebook a little more but nothing like when she was younger.

[Capt_redshirt]

its the cycle of social media too many started to use myspace so the new group moved to facebook. now facebook is getting huge so people are moving to something more fashionable. personally I dont like FB and instagrams practices (for one anything you upload becomes their property to do with as they wish.... including using it for their ads without needing to contact you) I use google + simply because i get all my tech news there.

[conan617]

My DS (12) HAD to have FB so he could play the games and connect with his friends. He was on it for three months religiously but now he doesn't log in at all. I made the rule prior to allowing him on that I had to have his passwords and he had to friend me. I'm sure the prestige wore off once Dad was there to watch over like big brother. :thedolls: He also HAD to have a cell phone. I didn't agree, but his mother bought him one for his 12th birthday. A Tracfone. He doesn't even have it on all the time when I try to call him.

[magicofdisney]

I only have one kid old enough to meet FB's age requirement. He's not a big fan. He much prefers YouTube to any other social media. Additionally, he plays games on his PC that use chat for more intense interaction (i.e. DayZ).

I agree with those that say it's because the older generations use FB. It's a turnoff for kids trying to inject their independence from Mom and Dad (if they're on there also).

[stephicakes]

DD16 had FB for a while but the novelty wore off quickly. I told her she had to "Friend" either her Dad or my sister (a police officer in Austin) in order to have an account. She got bored of it quickly and canceled her account. She mainly texts with friends now. I think it just took too much effort to keep things updated. :geek: :shrug:

[BrerGnat]

The thing is, Facebook was never meant for teens. It was designed as a way for people who don't often see each other in person to keep in touch and interact. In college, you meet a lot of people, and you are always trying to "network" in order to further your own education/work prospects for the future.

The people who use FB most often NOW are people in their 30's and up, who want to reconnect with old friends and distant family.

When I was a teen, the internet was "new". If something like FB had existed back then, as a teen, I would have had NO interest in it. I talked to my friends all the time, and I saw them almost every day. I didn't have a "network" of old friends to reconnect to.

I think a lot of teens got into FB because "everyone was doing it", but most realized rather quickly how pointless it is for them.

I have three cousins ranging from college aged down to HS aged. I have seen how the FB use has ramped up considerably for the two who are college aged (one recently graduated) and the one who is still in HS hardly ever uses it at all. She's all about Instagram and Twitter instead.

[Melanie]

The thing is, Facebook was never meant for teens. It was designed as a way for people who don't often see each other in person to keep in touch and interact.

In the very beginning, it was all about getting folks within the same college communities to interact, correct? Of course, it's evolved way beyond that now. Thing is, my kids do have friends near and far (and from their past), and still prefer Instagram for their social media. I definitely think a lot of it is about mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandparents, etc. being over their shoulder, so to speak.

Thanks for everyone's input. I was just curious what the trends were elsewhere.

[AgentC]

Supposedly Snapchat is going to be the next big thing for teens. It's like kind of like Instagram with texting , video and drawing added. The big thing is the app doesn't save the picture after it is viewed.

[TheDuckRocks]

My DGD is 15 and DGS is 17, they use:
Text messages - for one on one for their close friends....constantly.
Instagram - (mainly used by DGD) for all the important things like which shoe is coolest or look what a fool my mom made of herself.
Twitter - for keeping up with the celebs (once again mainly DGD).
Facebook - for all offical public announcements and pictures that they want not only their friends to know but all the family members that are scattered all over the country.

[princessgirls]

While oldest DD isn't techincally a teen (she turns 11 next month) she's the oldest child and a girl so she's 11 going on 16. ;)

And yes ... she's all about Instagram. She has a FB account that she never uses, but she's on Instagram about 100 times a day.

Same here...I had to get an Instragram account to monitor my kids stuff. My girls are 12 & 11, it's the rage. I kind of laugh to myself, because all I can see is all these kids taking pictures of themselves. They are soooo self absorbed at this age. I have already gotten a "talk" from my girls that I need to stop liking their friends posts.
I wish there was a guide book to parenting in the social media age!!! It's hard.
Julie:mickey:

[Melanie]

Same here...I had to get an Instragram account to monitor my kids stuff. My girls are 12 & 11, it's the rage. I kind of laugh to myself, because all I can see is all these kids taking pictures of themselves. They are soooo self absorbed at this age. I have already gotten a "talk" from my girls that I need to stop liking their friends posts.
I wish there was a guide book to parenting in the social media age!!! It's hard.
Julie:mickey:

I always go look at what my boys 'liked' on their IG account, and it's hilarious. All these pics of these girls doing their 'poses'. Oh my. lol!

[PirateLover]

I am becoming the phantom poster! I could swear I already posted in this thread but alas, no post.
Facebook started out very exclusive ( I believe at first only Ivy league schools were invited). Gradually it rolled out to other colleges. You had to have a legitimate college email to make an account, and you had to wait for your college to be added to the list. In the meantime everyone else used MySpace (remember that?!)

It wasn't too long after Facebook expanded to my college, that it then expanded to high schools, and soon after, to everyone. In the beginning it was very boring. You could only post on walls. No status updates, games etc. It's way different now.

Snap chat is definitely the next big thing I've been hearing about because as AgentC said, it erases whatever is sent shortly after. I am not familiar with it so I don't know the logistics, but I would think you could still screen cap images. Having taught middle school for 5 years I've seen way too much drama arise out of social media and text messaging, and some of it was down right scary. It's a narcissistic stage of life for sure, and the photo sharing compounds that element. For girls in particular I've seen it lead to major self-image issues and bullying. Now you are not just looking at magazine covers and wishing to be sickeningly thin like the photoshopped models, but you have to compete with your supposed "friends" too through the comments on the photos (Some of which can be quite mean, boys included). And there are much worse things that I can't mention on here. I'm not trying to scare anyone, and I bet the vast majority of your kids are having innocent fun. I just want to reiterate for you parents, to try to stay on top of things the best you can to find out what the next new thing will be, and monitor it. Don't just give them a smart phone or laptop and never check up on what they are doing with it. I know you can't monitor them 24/7 but I've seen too much to not take this opportunity to stress vigilance. Not trying to be a Debbie Downer but It's not all fun and games out there on the internet.

ETA: to give a bit more perspective, I have seen kids lose college scholarships over what they have posted on the internet. You never know who is looking.

[Melanie]

ETA: to give a bit more perspective, I have seen kids lose college scholarships over what they have posted on the internet. You never know who is looking.

Oh yes, we are on them like white on rice about stuff like this. And thank goodness, at least for my oldest, people like his baseball coach at his school are on them all the time as well. He follows them all on Twitter, etc. and talks to them about it constantly.

[princessgirls]

I always go look at what my boys 'liked' on their IG account, and it's hilarious. All these pics of these girls doing their 'poses'. Oh my. lol!

Oh my is right!!!!:mickey:
They all know each other's business too!

[DVC2004]

I'll tell you though, it's not just the kids that take it too far! I know someone in their 40's that posts more of her personal business out there than I can believe someone her age would. I guess some people love attention and drama. I would be embarrassed at her age to post some of the things that posts on there. I know her kids are embarrassed. One younger teen and one young adult child, and they don't even post the sort of stuff she does. I am pretty happy that when I look at my son's page he really doesn't use it. Very true- who knows who's looking. I am glad it wasn't around when I was his age! I am sure I would have posted some dumb stuff out there.

[BrerGnat]

Yep, you never know who might be looking, so that's why a TON of people (mostly teens and college kids who are about to graduate and look for jobs) change their profile name so it's not obvious who they are. Most teens have two profiles...the real one, and then the one where they are friends with their parents. Just in case all you parents thought you were being smart by friending your kids.

It might only LOOK like your teens aren't using FB "that much." :secret:

[MNNHFLTX]

At 20 years old, my son is not in the teen category anymore, but as a college student, uses FB a fair amount. He does not use Twitter at all. Texting and connecting through gaming programs seems to be the way he prefers to interact with his peers, but I know he enjoys keeping in touch with old friends and family on FB. As far as Instagram, I know he has the app but I never hear him talking about it, so I doubt that he participates in that much. (But who knows, I could be wrong--he certainly does not use it with me!) ;)

[SBETigg]

It might only LOOK like your teens aren't using FB "that much." :secret:

This was true for some of my daughter's friends, and is exactly what my teen nieces do. My other sister warned their mother, but she is oblivious.


At 20 years old, my son is not in the teen category anymore, but as a college student, uses FB a fair amount. He does not use Twitter at all. Texting and connecting through gaming programs seems to be the way he prefers to interact with his peers, but I know he enjoys keeping in touch with old friends and family on FB. As far as Instagram, I know he has the app but I never hear him talking about it, so I doubt that he participates in that much. (But who knows, I could be wrong--he certainly does not use it with me!) ;)

Yes, that's my 21 year old. His social contact time is pretty much through gaming programs or in person/text and he has little interest in any actual social media sites. I think it's a guy thing. They don't take pictures of themselves in various situations and feel the need to share.

[DVC2004]

Uh oh I hope mine isn't doing the fake-name Facebook! LOL.

I will have to snoop now. :secret:

[Aurora]

My 16yo DD still uses Facebook, but not as much as Twitter. But the really BIG thing for her now is Snapchat. She has to check it when she comes home from school and spends most of her electronic communication on that and her phone texts.

My 14yo DS got a Facebook account last summer, used it less and less, and finally decided to deactivate it a few weeks ago. Too much stupidity for him and no interest in pics. He is a gamer too -- favorite is Minecraft with friends or brother.

[BriarRose0708]

The fake name on Facebook thing isn't an insurance policy against being found. You (and I'm using rhetorical you here) are searchable by the e-mail address used to create the account so if you use an address you put on a resume or application, you are SOL if the employer searches. Plus it makes you look untrustworthy if you had to use a fake name to hide all your indiscretions that are out on Facebook. Just don't put anything on social media you would need to hide!

[BrerGnat]

Nikki, just wanted to point out that most people have more than one email address. I've had about 7 over time. All you have to do is use an alternate email address for professional stuff.

[BriarRose0708]

Nikki, just wanted to point out that most people have more than one email address. I've had about 7 over time. All you have to do is use an alternate email address for professional stuff.
Oh I know that very well Nat. You'd be surprised how many students in college don't understand this concept.

[BrerGnat]

Oh I know that very well Nat. You'd be surprised how many students in college don't understand this concept.

No, I wouldn't be surprised. Kids (even college ones) are mostly dumb these days. Especially when it comes to social media do's/don't. ;)

[SBETigg]

No, I wouldn't be surprised. Kids (even college ones) are mostly dumb these days. Especially when it comes to social media do's/don't. ;)

True, in some cases. My daughter's on-campus job is doing social media for the study abroad program, and she propelled that into a second social media-related job with a former professor, and an internship with a New York publisher in the Publicity department for the summer. So, they're not all dumb.

I know you weren't saying they are, but I'm pointing out the flip side that youth has advantages, too. For some college kids and younger, social media has opened up a whole new area of expertise and employment potential. A lot of the young people are far more media savvy than some of the established professionals in certain fields (like publicity for major publishers, TV stations, etc). And then, there are the ones you mention.

[BrerGnat]

Sherri, I meant "dumb" in the sense of lacking common sense.

I certainly believe that youth tend to be more "tech saavy" than their parents, pretty much for every generation, this holds true. I am FLOORED by my 8 year old's technical know how (self taught too). ;)

My point was just that kids today are so wrapped up in their social media stuff that they forget sometimes how to be smart about using it.

[SBETigg]

My point was just that kids today are so wrapped up in their social media stuff that they forget sometimes how to be smart about using it.

I know. I totally get it. My nieces put such stuff out there. I just didn't want us to be too down on the youth because they are not all unaware of the repercussions of youthful actions. Some of them get it. And some don't. So it goes. But in some cases, they also have advantages from their tech savvy age and shake heads at us. I loved it when I started using Tumblr and my daughter said, "Oh, Mom, that's so cute, you figured out Tumblr." Haha. Kids.

But speaking of Tumblr, it's also disturbing how easily some unsavory images are accessible to kids these days. Even with blocks on your system (that a lot of kids know how to override). Parents have to be aware of so much more now than ever it seems, but maybe our parents thought the same thing.

[Dulcee]

Reading most of these responses made me laugh and cringe all at the same time. DH and I are 26, I think that puts us on the younger side of things.

We joined facebook when it was opening up to college students (you had to have the college email) and I can remember the uproar when it was opened up to others.

To be fair the not thinking of the consequences happens to even the best of us. As a phd student in the sciences I'd consider myself a pretty reasonably intelligent adult (and was a straight A, full academic scholarship college student) and there are many things I put up on my facebook that make me shake my head at myself now. Hind sight is 20/20 I suppose.

For the parents out there you can "watch" your kids online as much as you want but odds are you'll never match their technology knowledge. Rather then watching, focus on teaching your kids whats acceptable and not and whats safe and not on the internet. Teach your girls to respect themselves and not post the photos boys want to see. Teach your boys there is nothing respectful about liking a girls picture in a provocative post.

It will get you loads further then any babysitting will.

[DVC2004]

For the parents out there you can "watch" your kids online as much as you want but odds are you'll never match their technology knowledge. Rather then watching, focus on teaching your kids whats acceptable and not and whats safe and not on the internet. Teach your girls to respect themselves and not post the photos boys want to see. Teach your boys there is nothing respectful about liking a girls picture in a provocative post.

It will get you loads further then any babysitting will.

Very true and very well-said!

[minnie04]

I just saw this quote on WTOP, a local news site, which prompted me to start this thread:

Teens have stopped using FB because their parents are now using it. When too many of your Mom's friends start to like your status updates--it is time to go.



That's a good one :funny: I used to tell my Teen at the time to get off "Facebook" and go back to "Myspace" Facebook was for the adults at the time. The younger teens didn’t like it because they couldn’t put all the crazy pictures and stuff. It was boring to them. Then Facebook went crazy with teens, which I didn’t mind because I could keep any eye on them. Well now that they have invaded Facebook they are sick of it as well and jumped over to Instagram. Where it is mostly about “likes” they try to get the most likes on their pictures they post. Not all the status updating and things. They do twitter too. It's just something until something else comes along. They are young and love to jump around from trend to trend. I just wish I was the one thinking of the next one, so I could make the millions these sites make..:mickey: