For the first time, Facebook is opening its service to children under age 13. The social media giant has launched a new app allowing young children to send messages through Facebook. The free service, called Messenger Kids, must be activated by the child’s parents. Parents can then create a profile for the child as an extension of their own Facebook account. Parents must approve all requests before people can connect with the child. Children aged 6-12 are allowed to use Messenger Kids, which is currently only available for users in the United States. The app has so far only been released for Apple’s iOS operating system, for use on iPads, iPhones and the iPod touch. More devices will be added in the future.