There's about two million Facebook users in New Zealand but that figure could dramatically increase if the social networking giant allows under-13s to use the site legally.
The website is said to be working on technology which would permit children under the age of 13 to use the site with parental supervision.
Facebook requires members to be at least 13, but the new effort to drop the age restriction is being made because many children lie about their age to get access to Facebook and its 900 million members worldwide.
Facebook founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg last year said children under 13 should be on Facebook.
In a statement released last month, Facebook noted that many recent reports had highlighted "just how difficult it was 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," the company said.
Rotorua mother of two Alison Long said even if the age restriction was dropped she would not want her children on Facebook until they were teenagers.
She said her two children, aged 9 and 11, knew of the site because she had a page.
"They know that I go on it and update my status and check what other people are up to but I wouldn't want them going on it," she said.
"I think Facebook has a lot of adult material on there which I don't want them to be exposed to."
Ms Long said she didn't think a Facebook page which had parental supervision would work.
"I'm sure that kids go on there with fake dates of birth, so what would stop kids from doing that rather than using a censored version?" she said. "I have seen bad things on there - like the gossip pages - and I would hate for my kids to see that and get involved in that drama. It is just like bullying and it isn't fair."
Ms Long said she worried that children wouldn't use the site appropriately. "I don't think they have the skills or the knowledge to avoid getting caught up in those sorts of dramas."
She said she would discuss with her children the possibility of them having Facebook pages and she would set ground rules.
"I will be putting rules in place and I will be checking their pages and seeing what they get up to."
The Daily Post posted a question on Facebook about whether people thought Facebook should have an age restriction, some of the comments from people included: "I think as long as the parent goes on and checks there page" and "have rules about it should be fine and it sounds so messy from what I am hearing from friends with teens - I am glad it didn't exist when I was younger".
Tips for parents about keeping their children safe online:
Computers and other digital technologies such as games consoles and mobile phones have parental controls, which let you do things like block selected websites and email addresses by adding them to a filter list, setting time limits for use and preventing children from searching certain words
Set rules with your child, let them know what they can and can't do on the internet
Get on the internet yourself to learn how they use it, this will help you to set reasonable rules
Tell them about acceptable internet use, which might include only accessing the internet in a family room with the screen facing outwards so you can see what's going on
Explain that it's never okay to use abusive or threatening language in any online communication
Your child should take breaks from the computer every 30 minutes for health and safety reasons
Your child shouldn't download unknown files from the internet without you agreeing - it's best to never download unknown files at all
I don't think they have the skills or the knowledge to avoid getting caught up in those sorts of dramas.Alison Long Under-13s may get to do social networking