EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
Teen Years
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Instead of giving out a phone number, today teens are exchanging URL addresses to keep in touch. Right now there are more than 50 million members to a social networking site called MySpace.com. The site, which was founded in 2003, allows anyone ages 14 years and older to set up a free account and communicate with friends through pictures, journals and messaging. Users can also add comments onto each other’s page. One of the site’s biggest appeals is that it offers members a chance to express themselves through creativity and words while providing new, hip ways to staying connected. It also brings more time in front of the computer screen, offensive material and online dangers. Users, for example, have the option to post pictures and personal information, including their name, where they live, what school they attend and other identifying information. This is available for all to see. One man tracked down and molested a 16-year-old girl in Port Washington, N.Y. because she had listed where she worked, according to an article in USA Today. More close to home, The Orange County Register recently reported that Riverside County deputies arrested 49 men, including five from Orange County, in a three-day sting. The men, who posed online as a 13- or 14-year-old, thought they were meeting with the teen they met online. While the Riverside Sheriff’s Department confirms the sting did not involve MySpace, the incident further highlights both the prevalence and dangers of online networking. The site has also been labeled as “raunchy” by some because of the provocative pictures and profanity that can be found among participant’s profiles. While nude pictures are prohibited, near nude and sexually suggestive pictures can be found. And, with all of the cool features of MySpace, it is easy to lose track of time browsing through the site. To help decide if you should allow your teen to set up or keep his MySpace account, visit his page and certainly browse through others. Go to www.MySpace.com and click on the “search” icon. Use your teen’s e-mail address, name or school to locate their site. Everyone’s MySpace experience differs. Depending on what your child has written in their profile and how they communicate with others will determine in large part the type of experience they will have. Tracy Bennett is Churm Publishing, Inc.’s calendar coordinator. Tips for parents Talk to your child about posting identifiable information, such as telephone number, last name, sports team and more. Monitor your teen’s MySpace experience by visiting their site periodically. If someone is making your child uncomfortable through e-mail and instant messenger, block them. (Visit their page and click on the “Block User” icon). If someone offends your teen, first check to see if it violates MySpace’s terms of service. If it does, notify MySpace.com by clicking on the “help” icon. If you want your child’s MySpace account removed, contact MySpace’s parental help staff. For more information about online safety, visit www.wiredsafety.org Source: MySpace.com |
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