( CNN ) -- Should young children be able to use Facebook ? And if so , under what conditions ? Those are the questions bloggers and Twitter users are batting around the Internet on Monday following a news report saying Facebook is looking into ways it could let kids under the age of 13 use the site with parental consent . Currently , Facebook bans children younger than 13 . Data from Microsoft Research and Consumer Reports , however , show that many kids use the site anyway , often with their parents ' knowledge . A 2011 Consumer Reports survey found 7.5 million people younger than 13 use the site ; nearly a third of 11-year-olds and more than half of 12-year-olds use Facebook with their parents ' knowledge , according to a 1,007-person survey supported by Microsoft Research . Proponents of lifting Facebook 's under-13 ban say letting young kids on Facebook with the help of adults would allow them to use the social network more safely . `` Whether we like it or not , millions of children are using Facebook , and since there does n't seem to be a universally effective way to get them off the service , the best and safest strategy would be to provide younger children with a safe , secure and private experience that allows them to interact with verified friends and family members without having to lie about their age , '' Larry Magid writes at Forbes.com . Magid says Facebook for kids should not have ads and there need to be `` extra privacy protections '' that would involve parents helping their kids to use the social network safely . Others say Facebook is trying to profit from the under-13 crowd . Common Sense Media , an advocacy group , compared Facebook to `` Big Tobacco . '' Poll : Should kids younger than 13 be allowed to use Facebook ? `` With the growing concerns and pressure around Facebook 's business model , the company appears to be doing whatever it takes to identify new revenue streams and short-term corporate profits to impress spooked shareholders , '' the group 's CEO , James Steyer , said in a statement . `` But here 's the most important issue : There is absolutely no proof of any meaningful social or educational value of Facebook for children under 13 . Indeed , there are very legitimate concerns about privacy as well as the impact on the social , emotional and cognitive development of children . What Facebook is proposing is similar to the strategies used by Big Tobacco in appealing to young people -- try to hook kids early , build your brand , and you have a customer for life . `` What 's next ? Facebook for toddlers ? '' The Wall Street Journal on Monday published a front-page report saying Facebook is looking into ways to give younger children access to the social-networking site , which has more than 900 million users around the world and which made its lackluster stock market debut last month . `` Mechanisms being tested include connecting children 's accounts to their parents ' and controls that would allow parents to decide whom their kids can 'friend ' and what applications they can use , '' the newspaper said , citing anonymous sources who are familiar with the dealings . `` The under-13 features could enable Facebook and its partners to charge parents for games and other entertainment accessed by their children , the people said . '' In a statement issued to CNN and other news outlets , Facebook did not deny looking into the issue but said it does not have anything formal to announce : . `` Many recent reports have highlighted just how difficult it is to enforce age restrictions on the Internet , especially when parents want their children to access online content and services . We are in continuous dialogue with stakeholders , regulators and other policymakers about how best to help parents keep their kids safe in an evolving online environment . '' What do you think ? Let us know in the comments below .
Wall Street Journal : Facebook is looking at ways to let young kids onto the site . The proposals would help parents control Facebook for kids under 13 . Facebook currently bans kids younger than 13 from the site . But surveys show many kids use Facebook anyway , often with parental consent .