Facebook意欲开发13岁以下（包括13岁）儿童市场的决定，可能比在线赌博合法化更能为社交游戏公司创造商机，但此决议并未像后者那样引起热议。我想，Facebook必然会找到办法让13岁以下儿童使用他们的服务。《经济学家》指出的，最近调查发现已有560万13岁以下美国儿童使用Facebook（游戏邦注：Facebook全球儿童用户可能还更多）。如果Facebook没有解决这个问题，他们不止将错失了一个发展机遇，未来也会面临法律诉讼问题。

鉴于这种情况，Facebook将开发出一款针对13岁以下儿童的产品或选项，支持他们建立自己的账号，但必须在父母许可的情况下。有了德国公司VZnet在2007年开发SchuelerVZ（游戏邦注：一款目标群定位在10-19周岁学生的社交网络工具，但年长者不得使用）的先例，我相信Facebook会找到可行的方案，Facebook或许可借鉴德国保护儿童和隐私的做法。另一篇《经济学家》文章详细阐述了关于Facebook针对13岁以下儿童开放服务可采取的步骤，比如自动最大化他们的隐私设置，将他们的照片设置为只对朋友可见，设置家长监管的简单控制方式，并且只有在家长同意的情况下才能更改这些设置。

parents-facebook-apps-for-kids(from lloydmelnick)

社交游戏公司应如何服务13岁以下的儿童？

针对Facebook向13岁以下儿童开放服务一事，我想对有意进军这一市场的社交游戏公司提出一些建议。虽然这对他们来说是一种商机，但也是这些公司需要承担的一个巨大责任：

遵守法律

首先，在收集和传播儿童的私人信息时，你们必须保证遵守COPPA（儿童在线隐私保护法）条例。也许有些人还记得Playdom因违反COPPA，付出300万美元代价这件事吧。

制作家长和子女都能乐在其中的游戏

当我还在爱尔兰读研究生时，我惊讶地发现，父母、祖父母和孩子会一道在酒吧聚会。但在美国，小孩子长大后，他们总会尽量避免和他们的父母相处。社交游戏是改善这种关系的良方，它使人们找到了父母和小孩互动的真正且有趣的理由。设计游戏时最重要的因素是让所有人都能得到乐趣；如果你设计的只是家长为了与子女在一起才玩的游戏，这也不是长久之计。必须让每个人都喜欢这款游戏，正如他们都喜欢品脱牛奶一样。

营造安全的环境

目前，你的大多数玩家都会照顾好自己，但是小孩子不会。你必须确保他们没有处在危险的情境中。如果你的游戏附加聊天室或者对话监控器，那么你就得确保那些坏蛋不会与孩子接触。同时，别向孩子呈现少儿不宜的内容或图像。

确保定价和盈利策略得当

如果你有定期阅读我的博客，那你应该知道我认为在任何市场都不能采用操纵价格的策略，而在与13岁以下儿童打交道时，这一点就更为重要了。即使你不同意我的这一主张（即通过定价策略与用户建立联系而非只专注于扩大交易量），你也需要确保父母和孩子们都知道什么时候是在使用真实的货币，并获得家长的许可。如果在孩子不知情或者父母未允许的情况下，操纵孩子来收费，你不止要面临背后的许多罚款和诉讼问题，还会失去这群顾客，同时他们的父母再也不会安装你的游戏（还也会告诉他们的好友提防你的游戏）。

选择正确的盈利策略

让我们从最明显的问题入手，那就是大多数13岁以下儿童是没有信用卡的。这一点将极大影响游戏的盈利性。对成人有用的策略在13岁以下儿童那可能行不通。例如，一些以儿童为目标用户的网站（比如Club Penguin），它的多数收益是来自家长为孩子注册的订阅服务。这里的要点在于，你得将儿童用户视为一个不同的市场，并判断这个市场适合采用哪些盈利策略。

注意网站的广告和赞助内容

除了慑于许多与儿童有关的严格法律条款之外，你也可能想创造一个超越法律最低限度，让儿童和家长都感到舒适的环境。这不仅涉及到广告植入的问题，同时也包含通过广告网络投入的广告，以及基于广告的付费内容。

这方面可以参照迪士尼的做法，该公司最近宣称会严格限制旗下儿童网站，以及其他迪士尼运营项目中针对儿童投放的食物广告内容；在这一点上我们的自我要求最好高于法律标准。

13岁以下儿童是不容忽视的市场

看完上文内容后，你可能会觉得不值得大费周章地开发适用不同年龄用户的游戏，但我非常不同意你的看法。首先，这是潜在的一个巨大市场，其中的玩家可能很喜欢社交游戏机制。所以适当地改良你的游戏（或者专门争对这个市场开发游戏），你就会有盈利的机会。其次，即使这些玩家不会立即产生经济效益，你也可以同玩家建立长久关系，等他们长大后再将其引向你的其他游戏。他们可能是你在今后三四十年将要服务的客户。如果你真地希望建立一个大型且稳定的公司（不只存在6个月），理解和鉴别这个市场是最重要的一步。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Making social games for those under 13

Facebook’s decision to explore the 13 and under market may present more opportunities for social game companies than the potential legalization of online gambling but it is not generating nearly as much buzz. I think it is inevitable that Facebook finds a way to allow children under 13 to use the Facebook service. As the Economist pointed out, a recent study found that 5.6 million US children under 13 were already using Facebook (and undoubtedly millions more throughout the world). If Facebook does not address this issue, not only are they missing out on a business opportunity, they are leaving themselves open to litigation.

Given this situation, Facebook will almost certainly create a product or option for children under thirteen to have an account, almost certainly with parental approval. I am confident there is a workable solution after seeing how VZnet in Germany launched SchuelerVZ in 2007, a version of their social network that targets students 10-19 (and does not permit older people to use the network).

Given Germany’s strong protection of both privacy and children, a similar solution is likely to work for Facebook. Another Economist article details what steps Facebook could take to open itself to under 13s, such as automatically settings their privacy settings to maximum, making their pictures only visible to friends, creating simple parental controls for monitoring and getting parental approval before making any changes to these settings.

What social game companies should do for under 13s
I wanted to offer some suggestions on what social game companies need to do once Facebook opens to children under 13, although it is a great opportunity it is also a huge additional responsibility on all of us:

Obey the law.

First, you need to make sure you are obeying COPPA regulations on collecting and disseminating private information on children. As some of you may remember, Playdom was fined $3 million for violating COPPA guidelines (Hollywood Reporter article on Playdom fine).

Make games that kids and parents WANT to play together.

When I was a post-graduate student in Ireland, I was amazed at how parents, grand-parents and children would all socialize together at pubs. In the US, kids usually try to avoid spending any time with their parents as they get older. Social games represent a great way to bridge generations, giving people a real, fun reason to interact with their kids and parents. The important thing is designing your games so they are fun for everyone; if you create an experience that parents are only playing so they can be with their kids, it won’t work long-term. Everyone has to enjoy the game, just as they enjoy a pint.

Create a safe environment.

Most of your current players can take care of themselves, kids can’t. You need to ensure that children are not put in situations where they are at risk. If you have any chat or other player-to-player communication monitor it closely, make sure the bad guys have no access to kids. Also, do not expose them to potentially inappropriate content or posts.

Ensure your pricing and monetization strategy is appropriate. If you read my blog regularly, you already know I believe that you should not use manipulative pricing strategies in any market, but it takes on an increased level of importance when dealing with those under 13. Even if you disagree with my philosophy of using pricing to create a bond with users and not just focus on maximizing transactions, you need to ensure both children and parents know when spending real currency and get parental approval. Not only will you deal with multiple charge backs and potential lawsuits by manipulating children into making charges they do not understand or their parents do not approve of, you will lose these children as customers as they or their parents uninstall your game (and probably tell all their friends to do the same.

Choose the right monetization strategy.

Let’s start with the obvious, most kids under 13 don’t have credit cards. That fact, by itself, will greatly affect monetization. Strategies that work with adults are probably not optimal for those under 13. For example, if you look at sites that target kids (like Club Penguin), the bulk is through subscriptions that kids’ parents sign up for. The point is you need to see look at children as a different market segment and determine what is most appropriate for this market.

Watch your advertising and offers.

Not only are there much more stringent regulations on advertising to children but you probably want to go above and beyond the law to create an environment that is comfortable both kids and parents. This not only means product placement, but also ads placed via ad networks as well as offer-based payments. Look at Disney, which recently announced it would strictly limit what foods for kids it allows to advertise on its children’s networks and at other Disney operations; well beyond what is required by law.

Children under 13 are important to your company

After reading my recommendations above, you may feel it is not worth the trouble to make age appropriate versions of your games, I could not disagree more. First, this is a huge potential market of players who are likely to appreciate social game mechanics. With appropriate adjustments to your game (or creating games for this market), it is a significant revenue opportunity. Second, even if these players do not generate huge revenue immediately, you are creating relationships with players who you can migrate to future games as they age. These are customers you work with for the next 30 or 40 years. If you are truly looking to build a great and sustainable business (and not just flip it in six months), understanding and appreciating this market is a great move.（source:lloydmelnick）