MySpace or no MySpace?

[Jill D.]

Oh I also wanted to add that I was a pretty good kid, had a personal diary under my bed that would have curled my mom's already natural curly hair even more if she had read it. I also passed notes in school, some were probably REALLY inappropriate. Also had lots of phone activity as a teen, prank calls and other stuff that was probably over the top. We didn't have the internet, but we took risks, hitch hiking, open parties, driving around with liquor in some guys car, all this without parental supervision or permission. My mom thought I was at the school dance. My point is, I turned out ok. I did alright in school. I never got in much trouble (or got caught, I guess.) This is probably why I am more aware of what my kids could be doing. I hope they will turn out ok too.

I know what you mean, Karol. I did plenty of things that I know my parents would have freaked out if they knew - probably involved in more risky behavior than my own kids are, as far as I know (things were VERY lax in the 70's!). The difference is, I didn't broadcast my activities over the loudspeakers at school (which still wouldn't have reached as many people as MySpace!) At least what I did as a teenager are now just memories of my past; some of which I am not proud of. The stuff on the internet can very well hurt some of these kids in the future, which they do not even think about. I've even heard that  some employers are now checking applicant's MySpace page.

I thought for sure that I was more aware of what my kid's were up to, as we are close...however, there were some real eye-opening moments when I checked out both my 16 year old son and 20 year old daughter's pages. A lot of the stuff belonged in a diary or journal, in my opinion!

I realize that the teenage years are a time when kids are taking on more freedom and responsibilities and often make bad decisions (haven't we all???) as part of growing up. However, I was amazed how many of the kids "share" their "mistakes" for everyone to see - very "cool" (sarcasm). It's a difficult force to deal with as a parent. 

[goofynina]

Thank you Tamara for telling me what that little code Epoman threw at us, ugh, my head hurts trying to figure it out, lol, although i did come up with some pretty nasty thoughts of what it could've been   (damn me and my one track mind)    

I too have a myspace and most of the kids i used to babysit in my daycare are the ones on myspace so i even though i dont see them like i used to, i am still watching over them, so far none of them have done  or said anything crazy (yep, i raised them good)   (so i'd like to think) 

[DeLana]

I guess I'm much too suspicious to trust a site like MySpace - so no, and I'm glad my kids are only two

DeLana

[tamara]

Thank you Tamara for telling me what that little code Epoman threw at us, ugh, my head hurts trying to figure it out, lol, although i did come up with some pretty nasty thoughts of what it could've been   (damn me and my one track mind)    

I too have a myspace and most of the kids i used to babysit in my daycare are the ones on myspace so i even though i dont see them like i used to, i am still watching over them, so far none of them have done  or said anything crazy (yep, i raised them good)   (so i'd like to think) 

Well come on Goofynina, let us see....................................come on 

[Bajanne]

I was not interested in MySpace.  I only happened on it when I was trying to find my MSN My Space.  The next time I heard about it was a big exposé concerning pedophiles.  I was speechless when I found out how MySpace was being used by them big time, to contact minors and arrange meetings with them.  Seriously, if I had a teenager, I am not sure that I would even allow them to have a MySpace account!
Of course, there are many things in my life that I would hate my parents to find out about.  But none of these things put me at the risk to the extent of what is actually happening to lots of kids AS WE COMMUNICATE right now.
Some years back, I passed by the computer and my daughter was in some really steamy conversations in Yahoo chatrooms.  We had a nice chat about it. [she hates me to pass by the computer when she is on it, as I am a speed reader and just have to glance to see what is going down!]

[angieskidney]

wow it is scarey how younger and younger generations are getting into steamy conversations with total strangers. When I was a teen it was a trust issue for me to open up to people I even knew in real life. But times have changed. Now I type to people I have never met on this site lol

[goofynina]

Thank you Tamara for telling me what that little code Epoman threw at us, ugh, my head hurts trying to figure it out, lol, although i did come up with some pretty nasty thoughts of what it could've been   (damn me and my one track mind)    

I too have a myspace and most of the kids i used to babysit in my daycare are the ones on myspace so i even though i dont see them like i used to, i am still watching over them, so far none of them have done  or said anything crazy (yep, i raised them good)   (so i'd like to think) 

Well come on Goofynina, let us see....................................come on 

Here is my username on MySpace,  Goofynina14,  i have no personal info in there, just a couple of pics of kids, lol,   

[tubes]

   <-------has myspace

[Jill D.]

The thing with kids and MySpace pages is even if parents don't allow their kids to have one on their home computer, they can still set one up at school, a friend's, at the public library....
This is a very compelling and addicting medium for many kids these days. They feel "out of the loop" if they are not part of the MySpace community.

[angieskidney]

plus kids love to make something their own and it is so easy to set up, unlike webpages. The problem isn't neccessarily the MySpace itself but the morals instilled in kids today and the perverts preying on them!! And the kids want so much attention and are willing to throw away morals just to be accepted. They want to be liked so much and will meet total strangers on the net. What happened to the fear??

[Triker]

I use MySpace. It's good to have good, and current antivirus, and anti spyware programs though.

[Treasure]

I have myspace. and livejournal. and blogger.com. i've been all over the place on the Internet for a very long time.

and when I say, "all over the place"...I mean, "all over the place". hehehe. i'll refrain from posting pics here...hehehe

i think this is my link:  http://www.myspace.com/supremegoddessbitch

i try to give my kids a great deal of freedom and only hack their accounts for spying when they are behaving suspiciously. which, thankfully, isn't too often since the eldest was busted for chatting up old men online (he was 16, at the time... and yeah, he's still into the older gents-- his partner is 60 and the kid is 27, hehehe)

the younger kids, though, a bit smarter than the older ones, and have blocked me from easily hacking their accounts. i could work around that if need be, but i pretty much trust them and am willing to let them live with the consequences if they're doing anything too outrageous.

oops..it just occurred to me that i really shouldn't be snooping on the younger ones, because as of last week, they are all adults now.

hmmm. but they're sitll my kids, ya know? hehehe.

[carolyn77531]

I HAD A MYSPACE ACCOUNT......My bf and myself we dicided to get rid of the account...i did not want to delete my account.....

[meadowlandsnj]

I have one under the name CelticSoup

Van Morrison put me as a friend! I was so excited! 

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=40969934

[joseph_towey]

I love myspace. Check it out!   

http://www.myspace.com/44832901

[okarol]

 

[angela515]

 

[Patton]

  Thats just way too funny....

[Chris]

I like that, that is funny. The reason I got MySpace was due to a friend from another state, who got fed up with MSN's crap. SO I was suckered into joining Then thru addition of friends, I found out about this site. No one I know uses Facebook, so I don't see the need to join that one.

[paddbear0000]

Don't have it. Don't like it. Doesn't anyone communicate in real life anymore?

[Chris]

UHhh, nope
Cheaper to use IM with video and mic than use a cell phone

[paddbear0000]

Sorry, but I like to actually talk to humans once in a while! Besides, we save a ton by just using our cell phones on a family plan (with unlimited calling, nights and weekends or within our service, and no roaming charges , unlimited text and pictures too) and no land line.

[paris]

With friends in many countries and thus many different time zones, we have found email, myspace, text, etc a great tool to have constant contact with everyone.

[angela515]

Don't have it. Don't like it. Doesn't anyone communicate in real life anymore?

Yes, I do. I have a family plan on my cell, I have unlimited mobile to mobile calling, unlimited nights and weekends (starting at 7pm), unlimited internet use, text messaging, picture messaging, and anything else you can think of. And no matter how often i use it (24/7 basically), there is still some people I can only talk to through online, due to time differences, stuff going on each other's lives, and so on and so forth. I don't really prefer "live" talk (cell phone) to internet talk.. which happens, happens... no big deal.

[Chris]

For me, in order to save money, I just have the basic phone plane. If I call a friend who uses a different carrier and they're out of state, then there's more charges. I only like live talk only when I am dealing with Customer Service, I hate the phone tree I don't like to talk on the phone late at night either and IM, e-mails, MySpace, and so forth allow me to multi-task with a split screen and allows me to have some privacy (ever notice how people talk louder while their on a cell phone). Just my pet peeve I guess. Like they say, "To each is their own"