MySpace…
So MySpace is making it “easier” for parents to check on their kids.
MySpace is here, and when it’s gone there’ll be something else to replace it. Banning my kids from using it would be counter-productive in the long run. But I can place restrictions on using it, and I do. I have Nick’s password, full access to his account. I have told him to remove information, and he does it or he loses the account.
This plan by MySpace will allow parents to see the username, age, and location of anyone logging on to MySpace on their home computer. Pretty useless from a parenting standpoint. The kids don’t put their real names, ages, or their real locations in the profile. Instead that information is revealed in quizzes, blog posts, “about me”s , and in the comments.
Thankfully, it looks like most of my son’s friends have “private” profiles (as he does) so only friends can see them. But it’s not a perfect system. Kids add celebrities as friends, maybe a local band or a big brother or sister’s friends and… it’s just not that hard for strangers to be able to see those profiles.
The only way I feel comfortable with it is having full access, and actually logging in now and then.
January 18th, 2007 at 10:31 am
We just had a registered sex offender arrested around here. They found a 14 year old girl at his house….how’d they meet? MySpace. I am constantly warning my kids about being careful and they had that “it won’t happen to me” attitude. What happened to having pen-pals?
January 18th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
At 12, I can still say no. Eric uses Facebook, which has been given a wider audience lately, but he doesn’t post personal information. Though it obviously names your college, so I guess someone could track him down without too much trouble.
Gee, thanks, Annie!