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Is Myspace or chat-rooms safe for kids?



How safe is Myspace, and other websites or chat rooms?


Myspace

We've all heard the headlines: "Myspace is dangerous for children", "Don't let your kids go on Myspace", and of course "Young child kidnapped after meeting stranger on Myspace".
These stories are tragic and true, Myspace can be a dangerous place for children to spend time unsupervised, but Myspace is not the only website that can be dangerous for children.

Any gathering place for kids can be dangerous without adult supervision

Myspace.com is a great way for friends to 'get together' (virtually, that is), share photos, create webpages and 'blog'. But myspace is not the only place on the internet to do these things. There are literally hundreds of other websites very much like Myspace, such as blogger.com, MSNSpaces, Yahoo, AOL, to name only a few. Any of these other websites can be just as dangerous for unsupervised children, as adult predators tend to migrate to wherever young people are - in the virtual world or the real world.

Internet Chat rooms can be more dangerous for children

Internet Chat rooms, where people can chat in real time by typing messages on the screen, can be even more dangerous places for children. Far more children have been stalked, harassed, kidnapped or exposed to pornographic material in live chat-rooms than on Myspace. And because there are hundreds of online chat rooms in Yahoo, MSN, AOL, IRC, Eyeball, etc, they are even easier for children to find.

Adult supervision and parental controls are the key to a child's safety on the internet

The key to keeping your child safe on the internet is you. Just as in 'real life', your supervision and guidance are key to keeping your kids safe on the internet. Tips for keeping your child safe when online

  • Keep your PC in an open area: A computer in your child's room where you cannot see who they are chatting with can be dangerous.
  • Be involved with your child: Know what your child is doing online by spending time online together
  • Educate your child: In the same way all parents tell children to never talk to strangers, it is important to teach your child that the same thing goes with internet strangers. Be sure your child knows to never chat with someone they do not know, and more importantly, never reveal any identifying information such as real name, age, location, phone number, or even the school they attend
  • Educate yourself: Get familiar with your computer, the internet, the lingo, and the dangers. The GrownUpGeek.com website is a great place to start learning some of these things.
  • Get parental control software or hardware for your computer: Parental control software or hardware can help give you more control of what web sites your children can access, the time they can use the internet, and log what web sites or chat rooms they use. Some parental control hardware or programs can even record the text of online chats for later review. Parental control software and hardware is available online with prices ranging from $29 to well over $100 - a small price to pay if it helps you protect your children from internet predators.

    Post your own comments or warnings

    Use the "Post new comment" feature at the bottom of the page to post your own warnings, stories or questions about Myspace or other online dangers.

    How to find your child's Myspace password

    FBI Online Safety for kids:FBI.com

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MYSPACE IS SAFE FOR KIDS!

Submitted by exmyspacer (not verified) on August 10, 2006 - 5:33pm.

Concerned Parents:
Myspace is a site where teens can express themselves, talk to friends, and personalive a page to their unique style. If your kid comes to you wondering if they can get on Myspace you should think about it before answering. Your child came to you for your permission because they respect and value your words of thought and answers. There have been millions of accounts of how kids turn away from their parents to secretly get on Myspace. Respect your child for coming to you. The most common reason kids get on Myspace is it's a way to connect to their friends, and others at school are doing it. If you suspect your child is on Myspace go to History and check, plus talk to your kid about it and your feelings about it, so they as a child can understand.

The choice is yours, if you allow it there are a few extra precautions that can be made. Set their profile on private, tell them not to give away any personal info. like: school, address, phone number, and especialy their name. Don't let them talk to strangers, and block strangers who have contacted them, if any have, all the time I've been on Myspace this hasn't happened. Plus its best to set a time-limit because teens could spend hours on it. (literally)

HACKERS: Very rare to happen. There is almost nowhere on the internet you can get hacking codes, so like I said rare. Your computer will give signs, or tell you if your computer is Hacked. Myspace is stepping up to keep security measures on and high all the time. So hacking is almost impossible. The Hackers need expensive equipment to be able to hack in.

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Recent changes at Myspace

I'm Trusted Premium Member!V.I.P. Member !!Certifed Mac loverLooked at and admired by many!Someone ELSE paid $1 to put this badge on me!
Submitted by thegeek on April 15, 2006 - 10:47pm.

Recently Myspace has removed thousands of inappropriate accounts and has also hired a new head of security who is charged with keeping their users safe.
Although these steps are great, they aren't going to help much. It is still up to each and every parent to make sure their children are safe online.
Remember, Myspace is just one of thousands of online communites, all of which are just as dangerous or more dangerous than Myspace.

Read and follow the tips on the page (above), watch what your kids do online, or purchase parental control system for your computer.

Myspace isn't going to babysit your kids for you - it's up to you.

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