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Update:

Since I first reported on the dangers of younger children on Facebook, I'm finding more people who have an opinion on the subject.

Wednesday morning First Lady Michelle Obama said during a network television interview that her daughters aren't on Facebook, and that's the way she likes it.

The first lady says her girls, 9-year-old Sasha and 12-year-old Malia, have certain restrictions that other children don't have because of Secret Service security issues.

But she also said during the interview on NBC's "Today Show" she's "not a big fan of young kids having Facebook."

Even if the girls weren't living in the White House, Mrs. Obama says Facebook is "not something they need."

"Maybe when they get older", she added.

What do you think? When is a child too young to have a Facebook or MySpace account?

Take the poll below.
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Original Story:

Teens and "tweens" these days would rather communicate via text messaging or social networking websites like Facebook, MySpace and Bebo than by telephone.

According to police, parents should be monitoring internet usage on a regular basis because children often reveal too much personal information and accept "friend requests" from people they don't even know.

Sgt. Bill Dehart with the Colorado Springs Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children Unit says sexual predators use social networking sites to try and discover information about kids.

Often they are a silent witness to the online chat between peers.

"You may not be posting anything, but is someone posting on your wall about going to the homecoming at Palmer or a bonfire?" Dehart said. "That is now a clue to me."

Dehart said a predator can use that information to pretend to be another student and join the conversation -- even worse, they now know where to find that child.

Dozens of sex offenders are arrested in Colorado each year, many of them meeting their victims online.

In May of 2010 police in Aurora arrested Daniel James Siegel for Internet Luring and Attempted Sexual assault on a Child. Their investigation revealed that Siegel had been communicating online with a 14-year-old girl and that he had arranged to meet the girl for the purposes of sexual contact.

Siegel stated he wanted to tie the victim up with his belt and role play a teacher and student scenario. Siegel had condoms and a belt in his possession when he was arrested.

In another case, 36-year-old Peter Jason Humphries was arrested by the Parker Police Department with the assistance of the Wyoming ICAC Task Force.

Investigators said Humphries was chatting online with a 14-year-old girl and had talked about getting a motel room meeting the girl for sex.

Police say sites like Facebook are taking an active role at policing what goes on online and ask users to report any suspicious postings.

But with the millions of users, they can not catch every incident.

That's why police say parents need to be involved, starting by opening the line of communication with their child. They suggest parents become users of social networking as well, becoming a "friend" of their child.

Police also say a child should never have a computer in their bedroom where it is easily unmonitored.

Below are some safety tips for kids to follow from ProtectKids

1) I won't give out my name, age, address, school, phone number, picture about myself or anyone else without my parent's permission. This includes chat rooms, instant messages, email, surfing the net and even entering contests or registering for clubs online. 2) I won't send my picture to anyone online without my parent's permission. 

3) I won't meet with someone in person that I met on the Internet unless my parent has agreed and will go with me. I realize that people aren't always who they say they are and that an adult can pretend to be a kid online.

3) If I receive or see something online that seems bad or weird, I won't respond and will log off and tell my parents right away.

4) I will not open or accept e-mails, enclosures, links, URL's or other things online from people I don't know.

5) I won't give out my password to anyone except my parents… not even my friends.

6) I will follow my family's rules for online safety at home, at school, at the library or at a friend or relative's house.