Scores of Brit Kids Lie About Age to Sign Up for MySpace and Bebo

Social networking sites such as Bebo and MySpace are forcing thousands of young children to lie about their age, warned a Conservative MP in the UK.

And, it was also at the parliamentary committee meeting that Tory John Whittingdale came to know that his own 12-year-old daughter had become one of the kids who lied to sign up to such sites.

Under current regulations, British children below the age of 13 are not allowed to have their own page on the site.

However, that hasn't stopped thousands from bending the rules to get in.

When questioned by Mr Whittingdale, the chairman of the culture, media and sport committee, about whether or not it was 'appropriate' for 12-year-old kids to be hooked on to social networking sites for hours, Bebo's chief safety officer Rachel O'Connell said that kids below 13 are not allowed to join.

"You have literally thousands and thousands of children in this country registered on your site under 13," the Telegraph quoted him, as telling Ms O'Connell.

As for his daughter, he added that he would "plainly have to go and talk to her" for lying about her age.

The committee had earlier representatives of the video game industry criticise parents for allowing their kids access to unsuitable material.

The industry also called for the prosecution of adults who supplied kids under the age of 18 violent or pornographic games.

Source-ANI
SPH/N