Social networks like Facebook and MySpace are attracting more and more kids...

An explosion of social connection tools like FaceBook, MySpace and Twitter in recent years has researchers studying their usability by and impact on various demographics, leading to the inevitable question: how young is too young?

The Pew Internet & American Life Project, in an October 8, 2009 research presentation, says that 65% of teens age 12-17 use online social networks as of Feb. 2008. This data represents a shift from 58% in 2007 and 55% in 2006.

A recent CNN report says while some experts are concerned about brain development and impaired social skills, others say kids’ social networking use is fairly harmless.

“Some scientists worry that pre-adolescent use of the sites, which some therapists have linked to Internet addiction among adults, could be damaging to children’s relationships and brains,” CNN reported in a Nov. 3 article entitled, “Social networks and kids: how young is too young?”

“But many other experts say there’s not any solid research to back that up and that most children seem to use social-media sites in moderation, and in positive ways.”

While most social networks have age requirements, young users inevitably discover ways around such controls.

Big 3 News Round Table recently discussed this topic on a live feed.

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