Myspace And Kids

[darth tang]

All of my computers have an initial start up password. Then to connect I have another password. Myself and my girlfriend are the only one's to ever have it. My kids aren't quite old enough yet, but I am already placing computer safety at the top of the list with their regards. No computer usage without my knowledge and it is in a room with one of us adults. No "teenage" competer in their room. They don't like it, tough, Get a job and your own place and you can do whatever. My house, my rules, NO PRIVACY!

 

[johnzo]

Well ok ... I was trying to stay out of this but I think I will put in my two cents. I am the IT Manager for a company in Florida.
My 14 year old daughter has been on a PC since she was about 4 maybe younger. She has a MySpace site, now with that being said I have instilled in her the way the internet is and will be. I wanted her to know that when something is out on the net it is out there for all to see and use. Lets face it, the internet like everything else in life can be a wonderful thing or it can be turned into a monster. Heck I do this for a living and the net changes all the time in one way or another. And I know if I tried to isolate her from it ...it would probally backfire on me ( kinda like when I was a kid if I was told not to do something I was hellbent on doing that very thing) So I chose to let her have her MySpace and monitor it very closley... she dosen't put where she lives ...or goes to school.... or pictures, but she does enjoy talking to her friends from school and feels associated with her schoolmates. I think we as parents have to be involved in every aspect of our kids lives, and it doesn't matter if we understand it or not. If we as parents have done our jobs and taught the right morals to our kids then I think we have little to worry about.
As for the internet it will always be a part of our kids lives, all we can do as parents is hope that they will respect what kind of impact a mouse click can have.

 

[jdragunas]

i completely agree with you! It's like when they made alcohol illegal. Even more people drank than when it was legal. In the same aspect, kids will do what they want, even if you don't allow it at home. They have computers at school, at their friends house, at the library. IMO, not allowing them to be on the internet at all is not the best way to go about it. You just have to talk to them about the risks associated, and how they can prevent them. It's like smoking or drinking or doing drugs. You have to talk to them about it and hope they do the right thing. You can't keep them locked up in the house because you're afraid they'll do bad things... that's when they turn into serial killers and rapists... You don't keep track of everywhere your wife goes all of the time because you're afraid she might cheat on you... That will lead to problems and a bad relationship. Good relationships are based on trust, whether it's with your kids, your wife, your parents, etc. If you don't trust them, you're going to spend a good portion of your life paranoid, and that's not fun.

 

[hagfish]

I've never really put much effort into blocking sites, but I do know that my router's firewall has mechanism's to block sites. I think McAfee's firewall does too. Some of you who were wanting extra protection may have access to things like that already and not realize it.

 

[jdragunas]

i thought it was possible to block sites with just your internet explorer... yep. You go to tools, internet options, click the "privacy" tab, and then the "sites" button. There, you can type in the site you want to block, and click "block". Or if you want high security settings, which basically block access from every site, you can follow the above instructions to allow sites, by clicking the "allow" button instead of "block" just fyi...

 

[johnzo]

You are both right... your routers firewall MacAfee or IE.... but you know what it all goes back to "you said I can't but I will do my best to crack what ever you have put in place ..or find another way around it.......just to say I did" it is a normal Hacker response. So I will go around the firewall plug directly into the modem... or disable MacAfee at startup.... or download firefox and run it instead of IE. Kids are to sharp these days especially when it comes to computers.

 

[jdragunas]

yeppers. You can block it, like i said in my above post, just using the internet explorer. If your kid is smart enough to figure out how to unblock it, chances are he/she's going to be able to get around any other kind of "internet security" you setup...

 

[havunen191]

I know what everyone is saying. It all boils down to trusting kids. Because no matter what we do they are going to find a way. Just hope we brought them up with enough common sense and morals. She does not tell people where she lives, goes to school or any of that stuff. Which is a plus. Its the people she ends up talking to through her friends. I have to admit she has a couple of friends who's parents aren't as strict on things, so she adds these people to to her friends list not knowing. So that is why she has been told she can no longer have the page. Not just for the fact of her doing these things but I don't approve of the cite because of the issues going on with it. There is so much are kids are learning before their time. And we will never be able to stop it. When she was in third grade I had to sign a paper for her to learn about AIDS and that --- would be part of the discussion! She was only 9. Not that she didn't know about it but I think things are getting to where they are way to open. ---(of all kind), Drugs Its all over T.V , Radio, and the Internet. So kids don't think it's a big deal. The Government needs to crack down some how. We as parents are losing the battle fighting all this alone. What are we superpose to do isolate our kids to their rooms and not let them see the day of light. I could go on and on but its just a battle I feel like I am losing. Just makes me want to

.

 

[yimmy]

I have to put my input in on here. I'm 14 and have a myspace...my parents know I have one but aren't interested in what's on it. I only approve people who I know, there is adult content, not ----, but still not something for the every day. I have the common sense to not let out important info...all i put was i'm in high school and like to eat mexican food and like sw fish. As for the safety of it I have considered deleting mine ALOT. At 2 schools aruond me there have been bomb threats there. THe threats were posted on myspace...I think parents should watch their kids, I think we should have some space but most kids have the common sense to avoid stuff. It won't find you unless YOU look for it, that's my opinion about the internet. For example, on here everyone here seems to be nice people, All I know is you could be a bunch of people looking for hints on where I live to murder me, you just got to be careful what you let out.

 

[lovethesea]

Originally Posted by Yimmy
All I know is you could be a bunch of people looking for hints on where I live to murder me, you just got to be careful what you let out.

so where do you live???

:thinking:

really though..........you have adult content on your my space account? Why at 14 is that necessary? Just wondering, not judging, just trying to figure out this whole generation of people who do most of their socializing i.e. My Space, Xangia, AIM, etc over the net. :notsure:

 

[havunen191]

Originally Posted by Yimmy
I have to put my input in on here. I'm 14 and have a myspace...my parents know I have one but aren't interested in what's on it. I only approve people who I know, there is adult content, not ----, but still not something for the every day. I have the common sense to not let out important info...all i put was i'm in high school and like to eat mexican food and like sw fish. As for the safety of it I have considered deleting mine ALOT. At 2 schools aruond me there have been bomb threats there. THe threats were posted on myspace...I think parents should watch their kids, I think we should have some space but most kids have the common sense to avoid stuff. It won't find you unless YOU look for it, that's my opinion about the internet. For example, on here everyone here seems to be nice people, All I know is you could be a bunch of people looking for hints on where I live to murder me, you just got to be careful what you let out.
Prime example!

Parents have no interest in what is going on in the page.

Yimmy knows its wrong but is still doing it.

 

[reeffer]

Originally Posted by HappyVac
Lots of my friends have MySpaces...I for one don't, I don't feel comfortable placing my picture up and telling strangers where I live, how old I am...it's just creepy.
All my AIM buddies I know in real life, and I don't talk to people who I don't know or go into chat-rooms.
Yeah, yeah, I'm paranoid. But paranoia rules

being paranoid can save your life

 

[lovethesea]

cautious is a better word don't you think? Its a good thing

 

[yimmy]

this got mis interpreted...I don't have it....I'm just saying it's on there so if your kids say no, then there lieing...I don't that on my page because thats the kind of stuff perverts have

 

[jds31788]

I DESPISE MYSPACE!!! ITS A CULT! the only people ive every seen on there are conceited and they post pictures of themselves so every1(encluding pervs) will c them and tell them how pretty they are. It seems to me that myspace is the easiest way to make a Self-obsessed webpage ENTIRELY about ME ME ME! I CANT STAND IT! my gf has one and i hate it with a passon! Its nothing but a bunch of unseccesary teenage drama. i admit its kind-of a neat idea but its gotten out of control. if u wanna share pics with ur friends email them. and yes i have been scarred by pornagraphic pictures. i think something need to be done. we need lots of angry parents to write a letter to Tom. He is the creator of myspace. And hes not hard to Find.

 

[yimmy]

I think it's out of control too, I only keep mine because I can find my old friends, I don't go on it though...I'm seriously thinking about deleting....it's turned into something not kid safe

 

[jds31788]

i know its a good way to find old friends. my sister found some of her highschool girlfriends that way. and everybody and their brother has a myspace.. uggh i even hate the title. "MY" space not your space. MINE! does any1 else see where im coming from here??

 

[yimmy]

yeah...it drives me crazy...a bunch of selfish people, you guys get the message though I don't have bad content on my myspace, don't want anyone to blow up

 

[jds31788]

no not at all. and i dont want to offend any1. i hate it has been spoiled for the rest of us. like i said it was a good idea. keyword there "was" a good idea. we stopped hanging criminals and now we have pervs on the loose who have no respect for the law or any1 for that matter. on top of that going to jail isnt much of a punishment anymore compared to what we used to do. some contries still cut off the hands of theaves and such.. not a bad idea if u ask me