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There is an online battle raging on one of the Internet's most popular websites, pitting teens and college kids against adults -- specifically, their parents.
"I really enjoy looking at the photos," said 17-year-old Tess Lippincott, a high school junior who checks her Facebook.com account daily. She recently found herself in a position most high school students dread. Her parents had joined Facebook, and wanted to be her friend. That would allow them to see all the pictures and comments on her page, and who all of her Facebook friends are.
"I was definitely reluctant at first, but both of my parents are on Facebook, so I got to get used to it," she said.
Her mother, Jenifer, a Northwest D.C parenting expert, says while young people view Facebook as their domain, it's parents who need to be staking a claim...
"Should they know what their kids' Facebook site looks like and should they know what's on it?" asked Jenifer Lippincott. "Absolutely, absolutely."
Of Facebook's 70 million active users last month, the fastest growing group is 25 plus, which isn't sitting so well with thousands who have joined online groups like this one telling parents to get out.
"I believe it's for younger people," said first-year college student Gillian Knicely. "I don't agree 49 year olds should be on Facebook."
"Would you want mom or dad to be your Facebook friend?" asked ABC 7/NewsChannel 8 reporter Kris Van Cleave of some students.
"Ahh, no," one replied curtly.
"They'd probably see me cursing and that would be kind of awkward," said first-year high school student Laura Drohan. "I'd rather they not see that."
What parents are seeing online is resulting in calls to college housing offices. At George Washington University, they expect a record number of calls from freshman parents this summer after they 'Facebook' their child's new roommate.
"Whatever they don't like about the person's profile they call and say, 'I want my son assignment's or my daughter assignment's changed immediately,'" says Seth Weinshel, GWU's housing director. "There are a lot in terms of alcohol and drug abuse or drug usage... everything from racial to ethnic to sexual orientation, some sports-related.
"If I see pictures I don't like, that's a dilemma for me to determine how I want to handle that. If, in fact, I want to handle that," said Jenifer Lippincott.
Tess Lippincott agreed to 'friend' her parents, giving mom and dad access to her page and pictures, but they had to agree not to 'friend' her friends, and they promised not to post messages on her page.
That's a rule Jenifer Lippincott, the parenting expert, admits she has broken a few times.
"I don't feel it's a betrayal of her trust," she said. "It's more poking fun, saying, 'I'm here. Remember, I'm around.'"
CLICK HERE for more information on the book Jenifer Lippincott wrote a book about parenting.
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