Using MySpace.com Safely

What Is MySpace?: MySpace.com, and other social networking sites, is designed to allow users to share their thoughts and interests, be creative, and provide a sort of Web-based journal or diary.

Why Do People Use MySpace?: Social networking sites such as MySpace.com allow people to connect with their friends and meet new people who have similar backgrounds or interests.

By searching the database of profiles, users can find other members who live, or used to live, in their home town or who went to the same school or worked at the same company. They can also find other members who like the same music, or sport, or many other hobbies and interests.

What Do People Do With MySpace?: Users use their MySpace.com sites for a variety of reasons. The site allows users to write blog entries, so many members use it as a forum to vent about parents, life, school and other things.

Friends use the comments and blog entries to communicate and have fun too. Some use the site specifically to find dates or relationships.

There are many templates available to customize the MySpace profile and make it as personal and creative as the member wants it to be.

Why Should Parents Care?: The reasons parents should care are not unique to MySpace.com or even to social networking sites. MySpace.com has become a high-profile target for the cause, but parents should always be aware of what their kids are doing online.

The problem is that kids often share too much personal information such as full name, address, birth date, their school, their picture, home phone or cell phone numbers and other information that can be used to locate them or could be used to steal their identity.

What Goes On Behind Closed Doors?: Many kids also use MySpace.com as a forum to vent against the world. It is a creative outlet to share their teen angst with other angst-laden kids.

It has always been a challenge for parents to connect and communicate with their teen kids. Many teens will write online the things they won't say to their parents- whether or not they drink, smoke, have sex, do drugs.

Of course, many will also lie about any or all of those things just to get attention or create controversy.

What Is MySpace.com Doing?: Social networking sites are aware of the potential risks of letting minors access the network, as well as the risks of social networking in general.

MySpace.com in particular has taken steps to try and protect people. Members must be at least 14 years old to create a profile. Profiles of minors are restricted so that only their Friends or other members under age 18 can view them.

Unfortunately, kids can lie about their age to create a profile and predators can lie to pretend to be under 18.

What Can Parents Do?: It sounds cliche, but parents should talk to their kids. Teens may seem to rebel as they struggle to find their own identity, but they still value the opinions and wisdom of their parents way more than they want anyone to know.

Parents should know what their kids are interested in, even if it doesn't interest them. Know where they go. Know who they hang out with. Talk with them about important issues and make sure they understand the risks they face.

What Can Parents Really Do?: Monitor

Some may call it spying. But, as long as they live in your house, use a computer you bought and use the Internet account you pay for to go online, you certainly have a right to know what is going on.

If talking to your kids still leaves you with a sense of unease, you can use software such as eBlaster or SpectorPro from SpectorSoft to monitor their online activities.

These products can collect details on web sites, chat sessions, emails and more and email them to you secretly.