Facebook’s already pretty inane. The only thing that could make it worse is, oh I dunno, having 10-year-olds running wild on it. Luckily, it’s against the law for sub 13-year-olds to join data-collecting sites. Unless The Zuck changes that.
At a recent symposium on education reform, Zuckerberg argued that Facebook could, and should, play an important role, CNN reports. Doing… what exactly? Facebook doesn’t know! “Because of the restrictions we haven’t even begun this learning process,” Zuckerberg said. “If they’re lifted then we’d start to learn what works.” Pretty convincing stuff.
The restriction he’s talking about is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which bars kids under 13 from the site. Zuckerberg wants this changed.
I can’t fathom any possible way Facebook would improve education. Sharing notes? Organising study sessions? Can any of these things not be accomplished with email or texting? I can attest that during the crossover period during which I was both in class and on Facebook, the latter did nothing but impede the former. I can’t imagine a being with the self-control of a tween would be any better.
Zuckerberg clearly cares about education – he did pledge $US100 million to Newark’s public schools. But I have a feeling this might have as much to do with sticking little tykes (and their valuable eyeballs) into the marketing meat grinder. [CNN]