Google+ has just lowered their minimum age requirement from 18 to 13. Young teens everywhere couldn’t care less.
Google VP Bradley Horowitz makes a great pitch though. . . .
Teens and young adults are the most active Internet users on the planet. And surprise, surprise: they’re also human beings who enjoy spending time with friends and family. Put these two things together and it’s clear that teens will increasingly connect online. Unfortunately, online sharing is still second-rate for this age group.
Oh, snap! Did he just call Facebook “second-rate?” So he didn’t mention them by name, but come on. . .
In life, for instance, teens can share the right things with just the right people (like classmates, parents or close ties). Over time, the nuance and richness of selective sharing even promotes authenticity and accountability. Sadly, today’s most popular online tools are rigid and brittle by comparison, so teens end up over-sharing with all of their so-called “friends.”
There he goes again! Calling Facebook a “tool,” a rigid and brittle tool, even! This means war.
With Google+, we want to help teens build meaningful connections online. We also want to provide features that foster safety alongside self-expression. Today we’re doing both, for everyone who’s old enough for a Google Account (13+ in most countries).
Safety and self-expression, all very nice, but how many 13-year-olds do you know that are clamoring for a Google+ account?
