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October 29, 2007 12:18 PM PDT

Report: 'MySpace Tom' lied about his age. Yawn.

by Caroline McCarthy
(Credit: Valleywag)

Following rumors that MySpace co-founder and "everybody's friend" Tom Anderson was lying about his age on his profile, Newsweek did a little digging. According to "professional license information, voter registration and utility and telephone service applications," Anderson is actually 36, not 32.

Which means that he was 31, not 27, when he co-founded MySpace, and apparently he was either self-conscious or sketched out (or both) about being in his 30s when he founded a youth-oriented social network.

TechCrunch's Michael Arrington expressed concern, saying that "the fact that MySpace and News Corp. had knowledge of the lie, and did nothing to fix it, makes it worse." But Valleywag comments, "(it) would hardly make Anderson the first person to lie about his age on MySpace." (Yeah, a lot of those "99-year-olds" aren't telling the truth.)

In other news, "Tom" is known to be so insecure about his popularity that he adds every single MySpace user as a friend the moment that they sign up for the News Corp.-owned social-networking site, and he also seems to be too lazy to change his dorky profile photo.

Can we get some real news now, please?

Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline.
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WHO CARES!!??
by mattumanu October 29, 2007 1:48 PM PDT
The fact that someone reported on a report about "myspace Tom" as though the report was noteworthy... is in itself stupid.

In fact, the first report is such a non-report that reporting on the non report is more stupid. Man, I'm starting to sound like MoJo Jo Jo!
Reply to this comment
Tom Lied about his age
by ParkerfanV October 29, 2007 2:09 PM PDT
Not to be an instigator but don't we woman fib about our age constantly? Hell I've been 21 for the last 5 years. LOL
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How Ironic is this appearing on news.com?
by Don Key October 29, 2007 2:19 PM PDT
Isn't this ironic that you are complaining about it not being a real news story but felt compelled to post about it?

If it wasn't news worthy, then it wouldn't be on news.com
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About The Social

CNET News' Caroline McCarthy is a downtown Manhattanite who believes that, despite popular opinion, the Web can actually help your social life. She's happily addicted to fun social-media tools from Twitter to Yelp to Facebook, sends an inordinate number of text messages, and has a tendency to waste time at the office reading restaurant blogs. Here, she explores all facets of the Web's gregarious side, as well as the unique tech culture in her home city of New York. (Don't call it Silicon Alley.)

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