meow_173

Here is the downside to Facebook. Don't get me wrong, i am totally addicted to FB, but ever since they made it no longer just for people in school (ie you had to use your university/college email to use it) it has basically turned into myspace. There are pornographic groups, nude pictures, you name it. Myspace=updated Facebook. I have several groups i've created on FB and i can list to you about 6 different "fake profiles" that come up posting adds about them being naked in the shower and waiting for you, then a link that is either a) a virus or b) a link to porn.

I love Facebook, but ever since they made it accessible to everyone, its basically gone to the shitters in that respect

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jtee

The whole fascination with facebook/myspace is lost on me, clearly something that is very unique to people who are 25 and under because they have grown up with the Internet in their home and being "connected" 24/7 is part of how they socialize with friends near & far, its not a retrofit for those who had computer growing up, but no Internet. I go back to the days of 2400 baud dial-up, and BBS systems, but that was connecting to a single site. If I wanted to connect to another site, I had to dial another number, and if it was long distant call, it was costly.

.:Kalli Rae:.

I just got into a conversation about myspace and it being for younger people. I am 26 and love myspace. I use it to keep in touch with people I don't normally see. I just talked with my cousin, I haven't seen him in years, just the other day. I don't normally use it to meet new people just keep in touch of people I haven't seen in awhile.

I like it but I don't want my kids to have a myspace for a long time, they really don't need one yet. Maybe in a few years I will think about it again. My friend has a myspace for her 3 yr old son. Another friend let his 2 daughters, ages 10 and 11 have myspace. I think that is to young, at 10 and 11 years old I think if they want to chat with friends they can call them. Myspace/Facebook is very personal, you can tell alot about someone just by looking at their page. I just don't know if I am going to want someone knowing that much about my 10 yr old without even talking to them or me.

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Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.
Kalli Rae--
Mommy to:
Aaron Joseph- 8yrs Lily Ann Marie- 7yrs Kyla Raye- 4yrs

Moichiro

The key to internet usage and myspace accounts is supervision. My daughter met an older boy when she was only 13. She lied about her age, put up a picture of herself on a myspace-like page (this was before myspace) and snuck out of the house to meet him. The next thing I knew the police were calliing me because she was out so late at night. They found her and this boy sitting in a car talking at midnight. Fortunately, they were only talking.

I cannot stress enough to monitor your kids activities and friends. I have a friend whose daughter met boys that are gang members and she sneaks out of the house to meet them. In the neighborhood that she lives in, without her myspace account she would have never met these gang members.

Also monitor cell phones, the same girl mentioned about was sending pornographic images of herself over her cell phone.

Watch your kids, they can make poor choices in the blink of an eye.

Music-dad

Myspace, seems to be a great place for musicians and bands. Great promotional tool for those without their own domain.

I've never bothered with FB (yet)

meow_173

i do enjoy facebook...and i used to use myspace but i don't anymore

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GatorKid117

I would like to add that Facebook is almost required if you are on a college campus, myspace not so much. I'll admit it is almost like a drug. Facebook is my homepage, I check it many times a day and I am in the norm. Those who don't have one are essentially considered weird. It is the ultimate stalker website as well. You can see who went where, what they did, who they hung out with, what they like and dislike; it is extremely invasive. I would consider it worse than myspace but the thing is it still is mostly centered for college, high school age so you guys don't have to worry about it. But this could soon change so be careful. It's rising in popularity fast!

I mean in today's age, the pressure to have a myspace or a facebook is very immense so kids will go to great lengths to have one and hide it if it is not allowed. I know of a few kids who do this. More than likely your teen as atleast tried to make one or is involved in it some how.

"Accurate Facebook Mini-Feed" by Jeff Rosenberg on CollegeHumor

Here is a funny article about Facebook but in all reality it highlights what happens on the website. I found it really funny yet disturbing at the same time. Enjoy!

budnkota

I felt that way - I was totally anti-social networking sites. And then it was big news that my friend's uncle was diagnosed with a deadly cancer, and i was worried about how he was taking it. MySpace was the place I finally found him.. I had to create an account to be able to contact him, so I did. Since then, I've used it to track down a handful of people that I have lost track of. It's a huge help with that. I've reconnected with a couple people.
I'd thought about creating a space for MY 3-y-o. Not because HE'D be accessing it, but because it's a great tool for people who want to be connected to what's going on in his life and can see some of his photos. Since it can be put on a setting where nobody can see it unless invited to, I don't have to worry about some sicko accessing info on my child. I could use it to exchange information with his father without having to contact him directly. I try to keep him up-to-date on what's going on with Ry, but his little girlfriend somehow thinks that's an "attempt to get brian back" Please. Like he's such a treasure! If I leave it there, he can ignore all that he wants and it will still be evident that the information was made accessible to him.
That said, it makes me crazy when people ask these celebrities to be there "friend." seriously - what thrill do you get out of being the 74,534 person listed on some celebrity's website? My friend's wife has countless celebrities listed as her friends, and I know that she does not actually know these people. That's just wierd to me. Especially since the celebrities aren't out making their myspace private - you can read it w/o being a friend.

Cthru

My girls both have a myspace and facebook - as do I . I think they had it since around 12 or so. I have their passwords and check it regularly. Key is supervision.. if you deny them access to it, they're just going to open an account elsewhere and now you have no way to monitor. I created my myspace just so I could watch what they were doing and who they were talking to etc.. now I've found so many old friends on there.. I love it. I don't check it everyday or anything, but it really nice to keep in touch with. I even found my birth mother (for the 2nd time) on facebook.. so it can come in handy.