Soon kids under 13 might be able to access Google web services

New York: There are reports that Google may be working to legally allow children under 13 to use its services.

Currently, Google and Facebook do not offer their services to children under 13.

According to technology website The Information, Google has been "working to overhaul its web services so it can legally allow children to use them".

The accounts for kids would reportedly include a special dashboard from which parents can oversee their kids' online activities, it added.

The search engine is yet to confirm the report.

Generally, Google and Facebook ask for date of birth when you sign up for its flagship service and bans anyone who is under 13.

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The websites even put cookies on machines in an effort to prevent kids who were rejected from trying again with a fake birth date, Forbes reported.

To comply with the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), Google, Facebook and many other services officially ban children under 13.

Even COPPA is a US law, it affects people around the world since Google and Facebook are based here.

Previous research shows that many kids under 13 are still using Facebook.

Many parents help their kids get a Facebook account because they want them to have access to family and friends who use the service, researchers said.

IANS