Are Tighter Social Media Controls with Kids Needed?

Last March, a student who attended New Manchester High in Douglasville was arrested after allegedly making an online threat against his school. Earlier this month, a Pebblebrook High student from Austell found himself in jail after he allegedly posted threats on Instagram. And last week, Paulding County authorities increased their presence at East Paulding High School as a precautionary measure after a message spread on Twitter said that someone would be bringing a gun onto campus.

Though these incidents are seemingly unrelated, one common factor is the usage of online services and social media.

In the wake of these incidents, and countless others out there we want to ask:

At what age are teens solely responsible for their social media use? What should parents do to instruct their children on using social media and online services?

Lastly, many online services require users to be of a minimum age. Facebook, for instance, requires its users to be at least 13.

Should websites, either voluntarily or under law, raise their minimum ages? At what age would you allow your children to use these services?

Share what’s on your mind with us, and then return here to see what your neighbors in Cobb, Douglas and Paulding counties have said.