myspace.com are your kids on it?

[FINFAN]

DD (15) was just telling me about this site the other day, how "everyone" is on it, and they call her a freak since she is not. MOST have lied about their age to sign up, you are supposed to be 17. I was kidding w/her saying, yeah, yeah, you're on it, right? But she says no, that she checked it out,that it is mindless banter, out of her league, and if she wanted to go on it, she'd be laughed off in a heartbeat. The weird thing is , that our paper just printed an article on this site in todays paper...I have a feeling MANY members will now be MIA, at least until they devise new screen names.
If she is on it, I am glad she at least informed me of the site...man, there is just so much more to keeping an eye on our kids these days.


Pam

 

[Stitchfans]

The high school were I work at just had an article in the school paper about that web site. I haven't had a chance to read it yet. It is a paper that the students put together.

 

[ckret01]

What kind of a site is it? Is it bad?

 

[disfanatiks]

My DD is 15 and not on there either. She actually thinks it is a little strange that I am on the Dis so much. DD finds the site not her taste.

A friend's mom asked me about it and stated that her DD had told her my DD was on there so it was okay. I had to tell her no that she was not and even if she wanted to be, it was unacceptable because of some of the things I have seen on there. Also she told me that she had tried and not been able to find her daughter's page.

This weekend I looked on there to find how many of my DD's friends were on. It is a lot of them and let me tell you it was easy to find them and as you stated ages are not correct. What I do find correct...the city where the live and the high school listed and many other personal items that could lure the wrong element. Very disturbing. One of DD's best friends was in a very provacative pose that DD says she knows was wrong and told her so. I am very friendly with this girls' mother and it has bothered me that I feel it is not my place to tell her.

I looked up Kara Beth Borden and David Ludwig and sure enough they were on as well. The thing I found disturbing was that Kara Beth has been on many times since she returned home after being caught. Today I noticed that the David Ludwig site is gone.

The first time I ever heard of this site was when the college freshman went missing in VA (Taylor Behl). She has a page on the site as well. It actually still exists.

Very scary...the internet...today.

 

[Twinkles6892]

I have one. But I don't have where I'm located, and I only accept friends if I know who they are.

 

[Sparx]

I'm on it. Mine says my real age. 14. didn't know you had to be 17 to use it. I just put in my real birthday, and it took it. Heres mine. Meh Myspace. Yep. you can't see my profile. Its hidden. A neat little feature than anyone can use. Its a blog basically, but I blog on my other site, not that one. I use it to keep in touch with my friends. Its not a 'bad' site. It just gets on alot of parent's nerves because their kids lie about their ages. It has every chance to be a 'bad' site, but the content you see is up to you. you can refues comments and make your profile private. you can not give out real information, or you can. Its the user's choice. JMO.

 

[FINFAN]

It's more or less a singles site...but with discussion forums for music, etc. It would be neat, except it is for an older age group, so not innocent if you know what I mean. DD said that some of the kids are shocked at what they read/see, some are not. Just go to the site, you can browse without joining. It is just the speed at which this stuff takes off/catches on via the internet. It is not like just watching your kids play on the block anymore...now they are international!


Pam

 

[always quiet]

My older DD is on it and so are 99% of her friends. It's like one of those on line journals (blogs) that are so popular right now. I just popped in over there to check out the age requirements (if she had lied to get onto it, she was going to be OFF in an instant!). In the terms and conditions, it states that you have to be 14 or older. I have talked to my daughter before and made it clear to her that she was never to reveal any personal information about herself on the site, including the town that she lives in or her age. I have seen some of her friends revealing way too much personal info!

 

[FINFAN]

Sparx...good to hear....I think responsibility is the key. DD pretty much is not ready for what she has seen of it and has made that determination, and I am glad she informed us of the site. Do you like it or is it full of losers? I will ask DD about the real age thing....her friends ar all 15 and older tho, so if it took that I don't know why they would enter 17...unless that allows into further access? Thanks for your response.

Pam

 

[disfanatiks]

Some of my DD's friends were marked private. That is good as only the other friends can see.

My DD does talk with friends via IM. It is set to only receive messages from friends she has allowed and she knows that she is not to IM anyone she does not know.

You are correct FINFAN some of these kids are being seen internationally and that is terrifying.

 

[FINFAN]

LOL! I think I will let DD think you need to be 17!

 

[KarenAylwood]

One of my friends is on myspace. I just think it's stupid so I've never joined (I'm 23). It's essentially a web blog. You write about yourself, your day, your interests, etc.

If you are afraid of your kids meeting people on here, or having others look them up (ie strangers), they can put their profile on private. This way, only those who are "friends" with them can see their information.

And no matter what, they shouldn't have their full name or exact location (HS, etc) on there.

 

[KarenAylwood]

LOL! I think I will let DD think you need to be 17!

If you read the terms and conditions, it says that you have to be 14 years or older to join.

 

[FINFAN]

o.k., I think you need to be 17 to allow public access? Under that remains private...not sure (obviously ) but at any rate, kinda glad DD is not thrilled with it yet. Not that there aren't a zillion other sites these guys can get to, but there must be something to it if the newspapers are writing about this particular site!

Pam

 

[Sparx]

Sparx...good to hear....I think responsibility is the key. DD pretty much is not ready for what she has seen of it and has made that determination, and I am glad she informed us of the site. Do you like it or is it full of losers? I will ask DD about the real age thing....her friends ar all 15 and older tho, so if it took that I don't know why they would enter 17...unless that allows into further access? Thanks for your response.

Pam

I think most people just enter a random age. I know when I first signed in I accidentally messed up my age by a few years. I went back and edited it. I originally signed up so I could comment on a friend of mine's pic. I don't really pay attention to most people on it. I've got a few friends on there, and a few friends off the dis. everyone else i basically ignore. Its interesting at its best. Once again, I'm just on to talk to my friends.

 

[Sparx]

o.k., I think you need to be 17 to allow public access? Under that remains private...not sure (obviously ) but at any rate, kinda glad DD is not thrilled with it yet. Not that there aren't a zillion other sites these guys can get to, but there must be something to it if the newspapers are writing about this particular site!

Pam

I dont' think that has anything to do with it. I could make mine public now if I wanted to, but I choose not to.

 

[Goofy's Muse]

Funny you should mention this today. My DD and several of her friends have just recently deleted their accounts because rumors have been spreading about potential predators. Who knows? They've decided to stick with private IM...

 

[FINFAN]

Thanks Sparx...and stay safe!

 

[luv2nascar]

Okay I'm 37 yrs old and no interest but have a 10 yr old dd so I spent a grand total of 1 minute on myspace.com. I put our local high school name in and found high school kids talking about drugs & showing pictures of them smoking pot I assume since that is what they were talking about. Also saw a suggestive picture of a guy and a girl on her knees (I'll leave it at that). The site is trash. My child would not be allowed on there. and keep in mind I spent about 1 minute on there so I can only imagine....

 

[beattyfamily]

Although my DH is a programmer and in the computer business and I love DISing...I do not think I will let my girls IM (I took it off our computers) and I certainly wouldn't want them on websites like myspace.com.

Our computer will only be used by the girls for homework and will be in a central location. If they want to talk to their friends, they can call them.

I know, I'm being overprotective and unrealistic, but that's how I feel right now while they are 6 & 9. We'll see when they are older.

I lived without the internet till I was in my late 20's early 30's and I did just fine. They will too.

Boy, our kids are growing up younger and younger.