MySpace to add teen protections

The popular online hangout will make it harder for strangers to send messages to younger teenagers.
The New York Times

The story "MySpace to add teen protections" published June 20, 2006 at 9:45 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from The New York Times expires after 7 days.

[dkaye]

Problem with this...

"The new policy still allows people under 18 to send messages to those under 16 without knowing their full names or e-mail addresses."

The problem with this scenario is that, just like children who want to be openly flirtatious set their age to be older than they are, so can predators set their age to be younger than they actually are. This, in effect, would allow them to send messages freely to the youth - 18 and younger.

The solution is an age verification system. Although cumbersome, to truly protect our children, one should and must take extra precautions to ensure that safety.

[cwxpffkd]

who is really at fault?

myspace should implement protections. the other persons comments on a age verification system would be nice too. at the end, parents need to monitor their kids. and kids need to learn about the dangers on the net while chatting with strangers, or use it. as in real life.

when i was 15, myspace was not even a thought in daddy's shorts. but aol chat, im and irc was around. i was typing to all kinds of people. some out of the country too. you think i met any of them? heck no. did my parents monitor my actions on the net? no. i used the common sense i had. however, maybe it was the paranoia my folks created as a kid about bad people.