New MySpace Regulations = (Faux) Internet Safety
I consider myself an internet person. I work for a website. I have more than one social networking profile. I use google as a verb. And yet I am still unnerved when I peruse my younger relatives' profiles. I am amazed at how scandalously they portray themselves and at how many personal details they reveal. They still roll their eyes when I preach about the danger of being online.
Next week, MySpace will enact new safety regulations designed to protect underage users from predators:
So in the end, it comes down to people like you and me, who are willing to keep having that difficult conversation about cyber-safety.
To help get the conversation started, try these two quizzes:
--Allison Busacca, Assistant Producer, Pregnancy and Parenting
Next week, MySpace will enact new safety regulations designed to protect underage users from predators:
- Anyone under the age of 14 will not be allowed to create a profile
- The profiles of 14 and 15 year olds will default to private, meaning anyone over the age of 18 must know the user's first and last name or their e-mail
address to make contact. Previously any stranger could reach out to any teen on MySpace.
- All users will be able to
make their profile private or choose only to have partial profiles viewed by
strangers.
So in the end, it comes down to people like you and me, who are willing to keep having that difficult conversation about cyber-safety.
To help get the conversation started, try these two quizzes:
- Internet
Safety Quiz for Kids: Have your kids take this quiz to test their
Cyberspace safety knowledge.
- Internet Safety Quiz for Adults: Check your Internet safety knowledge with this quiz.
--Allison Busacca, Assistant Producer, Pregnancy and Parenting
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I don't think it is enough. About 2 years ago when my daughter was only 11 we found out she had a myspace profile against family rules so she could chat with her school friends that had them as well. All of her friends are her age. We dealt severely with her betrayal (she still does not have a bedroom door) and are more diligent about monitor her computer behaviors. I called all of the parents on her friends list and about half did not know about their kids profile, about 1/4 of the other half did but had never seen it. But it was simply as easy as these kids marking the check box stating they are 14 (or older) to get a profile. At least with Yahoo they require the parents email address and use credit card verification for minors setting up messenger and mail accounts. I know ultimately it is the parents responsibility for knowing what their child is doing at all times and for keeping them out of danger but we as a society have said before companies do have a social responsibility. We don't allow billboards for cigarettes anymore because of their potential influence on children, what is wrong with asking online companies to do a little more to help keep our children safer?
i am 56 and have a myspace and i have had guys to leave me nasty comments and i have private settings.they can hack their way in some how.i have mine just for family and it is fun. but these young kids dont.my grand son now has his on private and i cant check up on him to see who his freinds are.so how can we monitor them when it is private and wont tell you their password.so what do we do??
how can i view what my daughter is saying & what others are saying?