Can Anyone Tell Me Anything Good About MYSPACE.COM??

[Rajah]

Another 30yo with a myspace account, though mine is *very* minimal. I use it to blog (game blogging open to all, personal blogging open only to friends) and to keep in touch with a couple of friends elsewhere in the country.

I agree -- it's a web tool. Myspace itself isn't bad -- it's how a lot of people use it that is bad.

 

[Sleepy]

The DoD doesn't allow access to many different types of sites, not just MySpace. I bet he couldn't access the DIS, LiveJournal, Friendster or Xanga either.

I know DIS is accessible on a DOD computer. Not sure about the others.

 

[iggbees]

maybe i'm just super liberal or something, but honestly, who cares what other kids do? i sure don't. i'm on myspace. i just don't have much information on there about me. i have another site that i frequent, where people who i actually am friends with can friend me and see my profile (which i have a lot of information on) but nobody else can.

i think that kids like using it to keep in touch with their friends (and even make friends through friends, etc). i know a lot of girls from college who use dating services and who have met people through that. how is that any different? they put a lot about themselves on there as well (more than most people should know).

a 17 year old in my opinion is old enough to make her own decisions. in a year she'll be in college and oh my gosh! going to parties and meeting people there and giving them information about herself (and they might be even worse than the people she is friends with on myspace).

 

[Christine]

I think your family is being a little "over the top" and, honestly, if I was the 54 year old sister in this case, I'd be pretty ticked. If she is aware of it, knows what her daughter is doing, and her daughter is 17 (I was in college at 17), then it seems legit to me.

My DD (14) has a myspace account and I monitor it. I've had my mother say "do you think it's okay" and we talk about it, but if another family member got as CONTROLLING as "the COLONEL" I wouldn't take it too well.

 

[momrek06]

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

As the OP to this THREAD...It has come to my decision that MY family (who tends to over-re-act to everything, me included) has once again over-re-acted!!!

I am so glad that I asked you all and am so glad you all have been very candid about MYSPACE.

Yes, the Col and sis are not speaking. Sis' dd had Col's son on the site all in his full militiary uniform and that just did not sit right with Col hence THEIR discussion in Col's son being REMOVED from niece's site on MYSPACE. I am wondering if Col has as well OVER-RE-ACTED and SIMPLY because we are not all that educated on MYSPACE.

ALL IN ALL...as I look at the WHOLE picture and read all your responses, it is too bad sis and bro are NOT speaking over THIS situation esp with bro just returning from IRAQ.

Thanks again, everyone and please keep the responses coming, I am learning so much tonight!

 

[zippeedee]

i posted about this awhile ago. It's not Myspace that's bad, it's creepy people and it's the false sense of security kids have about what they post. The police in my area have used it to their advantage, since kids tend to post bragging about their pranks (and worse). The boy next door to me was arrested after they matched photos on his page to grafitti at our local school. Just dumb but I'm glad they caught him before his "life of crime" gets worse. They also tried to get him on a weapons charge because he posted pics of himself and his friend playing with a toy gun. He couldn't prove it was a toy because they couldn't find the gun. His dad made him clean his room (after the court date, duh!) and there it was. Real guns don't use batteries, right?

 

[Marseeya]

I think your family is being a little "over the top" and, honestly, if I was the 54 year old sister in this case, I'd be pretty ticked. If she is aware of it, knows what her daughter is doing, and her daughter is 17 (I was in college at 17), then it seems legit to me.

My DD (14) has a myspace account and I monitor it. I've had my mother say "do you think it's okay" and we talk about it, but if another family member got as CONTROLLING as "the COLONEL" I wouldn't take it too well.

I totally agree! I can't imagine sticking my nose into other peoples' business to this degree, especially when it comes to a 17 year old.

 

[tiggger1]

hey i have a myspace page and im 29! I use it keep in touch with my friends from high school as well as current friends..........


my page is

http://www.myspace.com/tiggger

so if anyone wants to be my friends....add me!

 

[ducklite]

I'm 45 and have a Myspace account. My "friends" are a combination of other photographers and publicists/label people, etc. (25%), real life friends (50%), cyber space "friends" (5%), bands (15%), and everything else (5%).

Most of my friends, both real life and "Cyber" are people in their late 20's to mid-50's. I generally don't accept people as friends unless either I know them in real life or they are a journalist or there's some sort of connection--they are a real life friend of a real life friend type of thing.

I don't give out personal info, and some of my more personal blog entries are restricted to be read only by certain people.

I use it as a tool to keep in touch with my wide circle of real life friends, network with industry peers, keep up to date with the goings on of a variety of bands, etc.

As long as it's used responsibly, it's a great tool for networking and keeping in touch with people. Unfortunately, many of the younger people on it don't have the maturity level to use it responsibly, and that's where parental supervision comes in.

Anne

 

[kimkarli]

I know it is her decision, but I would not do it. I have seen to many shows like Dateline, where people who are on myspace get killed by freaks. I would not trust it.

 

[momrek06]

I totally agree! I can't imagine sticking my nose into other peoples' business to this degree, especially when it comes to a 17 year old.

Actually, what happened is my Sis was so happy that niece did this on MYSPACE, that she sent the LINK to all family members. I was actually in Disney when she sent me the link hence I was unaware of it AT FIRST. When we arrived in Tampa to visit mom and dad (80 y.o.) dad announces that granddaughter has her own webpage. I said oh really, neat, but my (dad) then says "I have NO interest in it" (me) "why, dad" (dad) "because I do not like swears" and now I am confused (me) "what do you mean" (dad) "all her friends have left her messages with all sorts of swears on it" hhmmm!! So that is how this all got started. My sis then says to dad that she cannot control what dd's friends say to her....but I guess my 80y.o. parents did not need to see this, as they spend so much time now as it is going to MASS........? ugh.....
They then tell me they are going to church to light some candles for granddaughter UGH.....

 

[amburger]

Personally, I see nothing wrong with the site. I myself am 18 and I use it to keep in contact with my friends. It's GREAT for that. We send messages to each other, leave comments, etc. I don't know, I love it. It's fun seeing everyones profiles and how they're different. I only add people that I ACTUALLY know. I don't add random people.

Plus, she's 17. I think she can handle herself, and if she wants, keep herself safe and responsible. My best friend is 17, and I think she's just fine, but then again, she wouldn't do anything stupid like give out personal info, to anyone she didn't know.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

I know it is her decision, but I would not do it. I have seen to many shows like Dateline, where people who are on myspace get killed by freaks. I would not trust it.

And how many shows were there on people who got killed by the freaks in chat rooms? Or how many shows were there on people who got killed by the freaks met through IM or message boards?

You can't live in a bubble and you can't force a 17 year old into that bubble. A 17 year old should be trusted to make decisions, for in about a year they will be able to and the parent will be powerless to stop them.

Once again

Realx, educate yourself on the dangers of the internet, and you'll find that while MySpace is getting a bad rap these days there was another site before it, and one before that and one before that etc etc...

 

[momrek06]

I totally agree! I can't imagine sticking my nose into other peoples' business to this degree, especially when it comes to a 17 year old.

One more thing: Like I said throughout this Thread as the OP, I have learned allot reading everyone's replies to me and have made a conscience decison to take a "Giant Step Backwards" from being so critical of niece being on MYSPACE.

My biggest concern all along was for niece's safety 24/7! I love her to PIECES and would NEVER in one million years want to hear anything ever happen to her. I consider her mine as much as my sis!!! She is my baby-doll!!

 

[Caradana]

Lord help me if I ever live in a town that cracks down on a website. I can live in Cuba or China if I want some of that. Yikes.

That being said, Momrek, you are a cool bean for learning more about the site and being open-minded enough to even consider changing your opinion. I respect that a lot.

 

[momrek06]

Lord help me if I ever live in a town that cracks down on a website. I can live in Cuba or China if I want some of that. Yikes.

That being said, Momrek, you are a cool bean for learning more about the site and being open-minded enough to even consider changing your opinion. I respect that a lot.

THANK YOU I AM TRYING

 

[nwdisgal]

There is nothing on Myspace that kids can't find elsewhere. The problem isn't with Myspace it's with parents who don't monitor and pay attention to what their kids are doing. My DD is 13 and has a Myspace account, I check her page regularly and she knows what is appropriate and what is not.

There is a lot of bad stuff out there, on the internet, at the mall, at school, parents need to give their kids the skills and confidence to make good choices. Blocking them from certain websites isn't necessarily the answer.

I agree. Also, I worry that all the hysteria and focus on Myspace detracts from the bigger picture here. Predators want easy and effortless access to your child - it is just (if not more likely) that your child could run into them at church, in sports or related activities or around school. Cyberspace has a certain amount of risk and effort to it. Also, it leaves an electronic trail that can be monitored. It is much easier for these types of people to pick professions which allow easy access to and the trust of kids and parents without leaving a trail of evidence. I think the most important thing as a parent is to be diligent regardless of whether its in cyberspace or IRL.

 

[allicat]

It seems like the group that gives out the most information is the middle school aged kids-their profiles often show where they go to school, where they live etc.
I was disgusted when I saw pictures of these girls (from our neighborhood) with my space photos of them wearing barely any clothes! I mean 13 year olds wearing nighties or a bra type top. And really inappropriate comments and discussions, just gross. Im not a prude by any means either!
Where are these girls parents? I know all about myspace and DD is 10 and if this is still popular when she is in middle school, she is never going near it if I can help it.

 

[Marseeya]

Actually, what happened is my Sis was so happy that niece did this on MYSPACE, that she sent the LINK to all family members. I was actually in Disney when she sent me the link hence I was unaware of it AT FIRST. When we arrived in Tampa to visit mom and dad (80 y.o.) dad announces that granddaughter has her own webpage. I said oh really, neat, but my (dad) then says "I have NO interest in it" (me) "why, dad" (dad) "because I do not like swears" and now I am confused (me) "what do you mean" (dad) "all her friends have left her messages with all sorts of swears on it" hhmmm!! So that is how this all got started. My sis then says to dad that she cannot control what dd's friends say to her....but I guess my 80y.o. parents did not need to see this, as they spend so much time now as it is going to MASS........? ugh.....
They then tell me they are going to church to light some candles for granddaughter UGH.....

Your family sounds like a handful! Why would she send out her DD's link to everyone? And then wonders why you're all up in her business. I'm sorry to laugh, but it just cracks me up because she brought the drama on herself by doing that.

 

[Marseeya]

It seems like the group that gives out the most information is the middle school aged kids-their profiles often show where they go to school, where they live etc.
I was disgusted when I saw pictures of these girls (from our neighborhood) with my space photos of them wearing barely any clothes! I mean 13 year olds wearing nighties or a bra type top. And really inappropriate comments and discussions, just gross. Im not a prude by any means either!
Where are these girls parents? I know all about myspace and DD is 10 and if this is still popular when she is in middle school, she is never going near it if I can help it.

I called one of my friends up a few weeks ago and the conversation went something like this:

Me: "Hi there, how's it going?"
Her: "What are you up to?"
Me: "Oh, just looking at X's MySpace page."
Her: "Oh really??? And how exactly did you come across it?"
Me: "I have my ways."

Her DD just turned 14 and her site wasn't as bad as some, but it was still bad enough! Some of the pictures bordered on sexual, and she had one where she was bent over looking between her legs at the camera. That picture wasn't meant in a sexual way, but it's sure not something you want everyone seeing!

My DS doesn't maintain a page, although a girl recently made one for him. I do read all of his chat logs, and I really wish some of his friends' parents would do the same.