El acceso a las nuevas tecnologías está cada vez más extendido entre los menores, ya sea como herramienta de apoyo en los estudios o de comunicación con sus familiares y amigos. Que los niños tengan redes sociales no es algo ajeno a la sociedad, ni a las empresas, que diseñan productos específicos para este «target» que ha nacido con el apellido «digital» y controla el ambiente incluso mejor que muchos adultos.
Sin embargo, los riesgos en este entorno online no solo se limitan a manejar la técnica, sino que existen otros inherentes a la edad que se trasladan desde el ámbito social tradicional. Ciberacoso, adicción o el contacto con personas poco deseables son consecuencias negativas que se repiten cada vez con más asiduidad. Y se agravan con la facilidad que las plataformas otorgan para crear los perfiles, para los que la mayoría de las veces solo es necesario un correo electrónico y una contraseña.
A partir de 13 años
Todas las redes sociales tienen una edad mínima para participar y podrían eliminar los perfiles que incumplan la legislación del país en el que se registra la compañía propietaria de la plataforma, aunque pocas veces se comprueba este extremo si la cuenta no viola algún otro término de las condiciones y es reportado por otro usuario. Pero, ¿desde qué edad es legalmente posible tener una cuenta en una de estas redes sociales?
«En España, el acceso a estas plataformas está regulado en el art. 13 del Real Decreto 1720/2007, de 21 de diciembre, por el que se aprueba el Reglamento de desarrollo de la Ley Orgánica 15/1999, de 13 de diciembre, de protección de datos de carácter personal, que establece que "podrá procederse al tratamiento de los datos de los mayores de catorce años con su consentimiento, salvo en aquellos casos en los que la Ley exija para su prestación la asistencia de los titulares de la patria potestad o tutela. En el caso de los menores de 14 años se requerirá el consentimiento de los padres o tutores"», explican desde la web de la Asociación de Internautas.
Así, en teoría, a partir de los 14 años, los menores podrían tener su propia cuenta. Antes también sería posible, siempre que se aporte el consentimiento paterno. Sin embargo, las compañías registradas en otros países pueden hacer variar esta edad, que baja hasta los 13 años en el caso de Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, Snapchat, WhatsApp o WeChat. Con permiso de los padres o tutores podrían tener su propia cuenta los menores a partir de 13 años en webs como YouTube o Flickr. Instagram y Facebookhan puesto su «línea roja» de edad en los 14 años, edad que sube hasta los 16 en Linkedin.
«Realmente, el problema es que aunque el menor no tenga los 14 años, es muy fácil que pueda crear una cuenta falseando sus datos, indicando una edad superior a la que tiene o creando un perfil con otro nombre», explican desde la firma de defensa jurídica ARAG. Sus expertos señalan que esta práctica afecta al nivel de protección de datos del menor y sus consentimientos.
Redes sociales dirigidas a menores
Para intentar crear un marco digital seguro, las empresas detrás de las redes sociales han desarrollado diferentes alternativas dirigidas a los más pequeños. Ejemplo de ello es YouTube Kids, una aplicación independiente con contenido dirigido a niños de entre 2 y 8 años.El contenido de la aplicación puede configurarse para tres grupos: preescolares, escolares y todas las edades. Y consta de cuatro secciones principales: programas, música, aprender y explorar. Poco tiempo después, YouTube Kids se enfrentaba a sus primeras polémicas tras «colarse» vídeos con contenido inapropiado para los niños gracias a los fallos del algoritmo que selecciona estas listas y a la picaresca de muchos creadores, entre los que se incluían personas con antecedentes por pederastia.
A finales del pasado año, Facebook se sumaba a los productos creados para niños con Messenger Kids, la versión infantil de su chat. Las diferencias con su aplicación hermana para adultos son que no posee publicidad ni compras integradas y la lista de contactos tiene que ser verificada por los padres. Aunque la compañía de Mark Zuckerberg alegaba que la herramienta serviría para acercar la comunicación entre familiares y amigos de los más pequeños (ponía de ejemplo a padres militares en misiones en el extranjero o madres muy atareadas en su trabajo), padres y educadores enviaban un comunicado en el que pedían la retirada de la aplicación, por considerarla innecesaria y perjudicial para los menores.
Además, muchas son las voces que se han pronunciado en torno al posible daño emocional y psicológico que las redes sociales pueden causar y gurús de estas plataformas han afirmado que nunca abrirían una cuenta a sus propios hijos, a pesar de haber ideado los códigos con sus propias manos. La polémica alrededor de esta cuestión sigue viva y parece que aún le quedan muchos capítulos que escribir. Las redes sociales, además, han tenido que acatar las normas de las agencias de protección de datos que, como en España, impuso por ejemplo en 2010 a Facebook que subiera de los 13 a los 14 años la edad mínima para poder formar parte de esta red social.
english:
What is the minimum age to use social media?
Access to new technologies is increasingly widespread among minors, either as a tool to support studies or to communicate with family and friends. That children have social networks is not alien to society, nor to companies, which design specific products for this "target" that has been born with the surname "digital" and controls the environment even better than many adults.
However, the risks in this online environment are not only limited to handling the technique, but there are others inherent in age that move from the traditional social sphere. Cyberbullying, addiction or contact with undesirable people are negative consequences that are repeated more and more assiduously. And they're compounded by the ease that platforms make to create profiles, most of the time you only need an email and password.
From 13 years old
All social networks have a minimum age to participate and could remove profiles that violate the laws of the country in which the company that owns the platform is registered, although this is rarely checked if the account does not violate any other terms and is reported by another user. But from what age is it legally possible to have an account on one of these social networks?
'In Spain, access to these platforms is regulated by Article 13 of Royal Decree 1720/2007 of 21 December approving the Regulations implementing Organic Law 15/1999 of 13 December on the protection of personal data , which states that "the data of the over fourteen years of age may be processed with their consent, except in cases where the Law requires for its provision the assistance of the holders of the parental authority or guardianship. In the case of children under the age of 14, the consent of the parents or guardians will be required"," they explain from the Website of the Internauts Association.
So, in theory, from the age of 14, minors could have their own account. It would also be possible, provided that parental consent is provided. However, companies registered in other countries may vary this age, which drops to 13 years in the case of Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, Snapchat, WhatsApp or WeChat. With permission of parents or guardians, children 13 and older on websites such as YouTube or Flickr may have their own account. Instagram and Facebook have put their "red line" in their old "red line" at 14, which rises to 16 on Linkedin.
"Really, the problem is that even if the child is not 14 years old, it is very easy for them to create an account by falsifing their data, indicating an older age than they have or creating a profile under a different name," they explain from the legal defense firm ARAG. Its experts point out that this practice affects the child's level of data protection and consents.
Social media aimed at minors
To try to create a secure digital framework, the companies behind social media have developed different alternatives aimed at the little ones. Examples include YouTube Kids, a standalone app with content aimed at children between 2 and 8 years old. App content can be configured for three groups: preschoolers, schoolchildren, and all ages. And it consists of four main sections: programs, music, learning and exploring. A short time later, YouTube Kids faced its first controversies after "collating" videos with content inappropriate for children thanks to the flaws of the algorithm that selects these lists and the picaresque of many creators, including people with a history of pederastia.
english:
What is the minimum age to use social media?
Access to new technologies is increasingly widespread among minors, either as a tool to support studies or to communicate with family and friends. That children have social networks is not alien to society, nor to companies, which design specific products for this "target" that has been born with the surname "digital" and controls the environment even better than many adults.
However, the risks in this online environment are not only limited to handling the technique, but there are others inherent in age that move from the traditional social sphere. Cyberbullying, addiction or contact with undesirable people are negative consequences that are repeated more and more assiduously. And they're compounded by the ease that platforms make to create profiles, most of the time you only need an email and password.
From 13 years old
All social networks have a minimum age to participate and could remove profiles that violate the laws of the country in which the company that owns the platform is registered, although this is rarely checked if the account does not violate any other terms and is reported by another user. But from what age is it legally possible to have an account on one of these social networks?
'In Spain, access to these platforms is regulated by Article 13 of Royal Decree 1720/2007 of 21 December approving the Regulations implementing Organic Law 15/1999 of 13 December on the protection of personal data , which states that "the data of the over fourteen years of age may be processed with their consent, except in cases where the Law requires for its provision the assistance of the holders of the parental authority or guardianship. In the case of children under the age of 14, the consent of the parents or guardians will be required"," they explain from the Website of the Internauts Association.
So, in theory, from the age of 14, minors could have their own account. It would also be possible, provided that parental consent is provided. However, companies registered in other countries may vary this age, which drops to 13 years in the case of Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, Snapchat, WhatsApp or WeChat. With permission of parents or guardians, children 13 and older on websites such as YouTube or Flickr may have their own account. Instagram and Facebook have put their "red line" in their old "red line" at 14, which rises to 16 on Linkedin.
"Really, the problem is that even if the child is not 14 years old, it is very easy for them to create an account by falsifing their data, indicating an older age than they have or creating a profile under a different name," they explain from the legal defense firm ARAG. Its experts point out that this practice affects the child's level of data protection and consents.
Social media aimed at minors
To try to create a secure digital framework, the companies behind social media have developed different alternatives aimed at the little ones. Examples include YouTube Kids, a standalone app with content aimed at children between 2 and 8 years old. App content can be configured for three groups: preschoolers, schoolchildren, and all ages. And it consists of four main sections: programs, music, learning and exploring. A short time later, YouTube Kids faced its first controversies after "collating" videos with content inappropriate for children thanks to the flaws of the algorithm that selects these lists and the picaresque of many creators, including people with a history of pederastia.
At the end of last year, Facebook was joining products created for kids with Messenger Kids, the children's version of their chat. The differences with its sister adult app are that it has no advertising or in-app purchases and the contact list has to be verified by parents. Although Mark Zuckerberg's company claimed that the tool would serve to bring communication between family and friends of the little ones closer (it set an example to military parents on overseas missions or mothers very busy at work), parents and educators they sent a statement calling for the withdrawal of the application, as it was considered unnecessary and harmful to minors.
In addition, many voices have spoken around the potential emotional and psychological harm that social media can cause and gurus on these platforms have stated that they would never open an account to their own children, despite having devised the codes with their own hands. The controversy around this issue is still alive and it seems that he still has many chapters to write. Social networks have also had to abide by the rules of data protection agencies that, as in Spain, imposed for example in 2010 on Facebook to raise from 13 to 14 years the minimum age to be part of this social network.
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