| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that Myspace seems to have cleaned up a bit recently, but users may still encounter content that would be considered inappropriate for kids, like profanity and "selfies" of women in skimpy lingerie. Users who say they're under 13 will be blocked from signing up, but kids can still use a fake age. If you list your age as 18+, users will be able to see you when browsing -- even if you've set your profile to private -- and they can search by age, gender, dating status, and other factors.
Myspace wasn't created with educational intent, and we don't recommend it for learning.
Although a new version of Myspace was rolled out in 2013, "classic" Myspace is here to stay -- at least for now. In addition to the basic social networking features (like profiles, messaging, and blogging), Myspace hosts lots of music content, including artist interviews, playlists, and videos. (New Myspace takes this a step further, facilitating connections among users who have similar musical taste.) There's also the film-related features "Fun at the Movies" and "Fanswers" and a collection of games.
While Myspace has started focusing more on music content, connecting with other users is still a big draw -- and a point of concern. The site has made some efforts to increase privacy and clean up content. For example, users under 18 can set their profiles to private and won't appear in the site's browsing section. But they'll still find some racy "selfies" in profile pics and other content that's not age-appropriate for kids. For teens who are interested in music and social networking, New Myspace may be a better bet.
Families can talk about dealing with strangers online. On sites where total strangers can comment on things you've posted or just try to talk to you, what kind of things should you watch out for people to say or do that might not be safe? (For more advice, check out our Tips for Social Networking article.)
What should you do if you encounter inappropriate behavior on sites like Myspace?
Myspace wasn't created with educational intent, and we don't recommend it for learning.
| Genre: | Social Networking |
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