If you've never
heard of MySpace, you probably don't have teenagers. If
you do have an adolescent son or daughter and still don't
know of MySpace, you probably should. That's because practically
every teen in America is a member. The Internet site has
surged in popularity in the last year, going from a mostly
underground site for kids in the know to the Internet's
fourth most popular site, surpassing even Google in terms
of monthly hits. The site has over 51 million members, mostly
in their teens and twenties. Simply put, MySpace is an Internet
giant.
So what, exactly, is MySpace? Here's one answer: it's an
online community where users post profiles, collect the
profiles of their friends, view the profiles of their friends'
friends, share music, and take part in blogs. Here's another
answer: it's the modern day version of the corner drug store
where kids go to socialize, express themselves, try out
new identities and, well, hang out. And here's the problem:
the site and its young visitors are largely unmonitored.
Lately, I've been getting more and more calls about the
site's pitfalls. Like any unsupervised electronic environment,
MySpace has been a conduit for cyber-bullying. Being cruel
and mean is easier online, since such behavior is relatively
consequence-free and without the real-world social cues
that keep some of our worst instincts in check.
In addition, because MySpace is the perfect place for kids
to try out new identities, some kids end up lying about
their age, profession, level of experience, etc. I heard
about one kid whose profile made a big deal about all the
hard drugs he liked to do. When confronted, he admitted
that he'd been lying, but he didn't see what was wrong with
that. He said, "Of course, I lied. That's how you make
a good profile. It's what everybody does." His mother
is left wondering whether her son is lying in MySpace or
lying to her. What's more, lewd pictures, graphic language
and mature themes are the norm on most of the site, which
seems all but inevitable when teens rub shoulders with young
adults in their twenties.
An even more serious problem with MySpace is the access
it provides to sexual predators. While such cases are extremely
rare, the number of tragic crimes has started to climb.
Unfortunately, any unmonitored online community poses a
danger to naïve kids.
To MySpace's credit, the site has an extensive list of safety
tips. And to the extent that they can, the people who administer
the site monitor profiles, especially with an eye to keeping
anyone under 14 off the site. The site can be a great place
for a young person to hang out, just as the corner drug
store was back in the day.
We can't count on MySpace to protect OurKids. We need to
talk to our kids about the dangers of this and any online
environment. We need to make sure they're not divulging
personal information that could be used by predators. We
need to let them know we're interested in what they do when
they leave the house, even if they're still in the living
room.
David Walsh, Ph.D. is the founder of the
MediaWise Movement, a program of the National Institute
on Media and the Family (www.mediafamily.org).
His latest book, Why Do They Act That Way? A Survival Guide
to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen, is a national
bestseller.
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