MySpace and Your Kid

Kids in schools are spending more and more time in internet. Many of them visit popular websites like Myspace.com which allows members to create their own online diaries to promote themselves and enhance their social networks. With growing number of kids on the internet, it's more important than ever to make sure that our kids are safe online.

Even though sites like MySpace could bring forth some positive attributes, including development of communications skills and enhancing self-esteem, these may expose your child's private information to the widely open internet and your kid may not even know the danger of that.

You may find out if your child has a membership to MySpace with a profile and a blog. If so, take a few minutes to do the following:
(i) Make sure that they have not posted their real name, school name, contact information, photo of themselves (especially sexually suggestive photos) or any other information which someone could use to find them.
(ii) Remind your child why it's important not to post sensitive or private information about themselves and have them edit their profile.
(iii) Establish rules against emailing and contacting strangers.
(iv) MySpace allows members to link to each other's sites. Check up these linked sites too, if your child has any. Check if those sites have any private information of your child.
(v) Continue to monitor your child's site regularly. This is not a violation of privacy. This is a safeguarding measure to protect your child from someone trying to exploit his/her innocence.