MySpace.com Cleaning House

Bravo, for MySpace.com. They now have software that scans there users to ID the convicted sex offenders. When the offenders are identified, their accounts will be canceled. It is about time. They need to id the under age user too. About 100 million people worldwide use the fast-growing MySpace service.

More still needs to be done, since this only finds the offenders dumb enough to use their real names when signing up.

I am surprised that no social networking sites have not done this already , if nothing else to cover their own ass. I am even more surprised that no one has sued any of them yet.

Earlier this month eight Attorney Generals demanded that MySpace.com hand over the name and addresses of thousands of convicted sex offenders they found using the social networking site. MySpace found during an internal investigation, the results were leaked and that is why the attorney generals started asking for the names.

Myspace at first, would not give up the names. But, after being hit with subpoenas from several states attorney generals MySpace has decided to do the right thing, giving the names to local law enforcement all over the country.

The sad fact is for the thousands that were caught there is thousands more. I only opened a MySpace to keep in touch with my family across the country. But most of them are MySpacein'. I just made up that word. I get friend invites from people I do not know. The best one is when I get a friend invite that says "I read your profile you look cool" blah, blah, because I don't have anything on mine. No pictures, no blog, nothing like that. So you know those people either A: just want a high number of friends, or B: are using MySpace to sell or advertise (which, is not allowed by MySpace). Do not get me started about the pictures that are posted on there. You know most of those girls are underage. My stepdaughter has an ID and she lies about her age. But, not where she lives or her real name. Her screen name is her real full name, which is very, very, very stupid. Kids are not that smart these days when it comes to being online. They don't worry about their identity getting stolen, some weirdo showing up at their house, or hurting their future by what they put on their page.

When you apply for collage or a job, the first thing they do is Google your name. So even years later it can come back and bit you in the ass. Most students do not even know this, and are being wild on MySpace. Posting revealing picture of themselves.

One thing that MySpace and other social networking sites need to do is verify the ages and names of their members. However, that seems unfair to the people that are not breaking a laws. If I want to be anonymous, I should be able to. That is something I would be willing to give up if it made it safer online for kids. Only to the company though, I still want to be able to put whatever name I what on my page, to protect my real identity.

That should be okay since MySpace (or whatever social networking site you are on) knows your real name and stuff.

I know that when I have kids they will not be allowed on any of those sites. Parents need to step up and be parents. We can make laws, put restrictions, monitor chat rooms, etc... but the parents are the first line of defense when it comes to protecting kids from perverts online. Know who your kids online buddies are and don't worry about them getting mad, you are not there to be friends, you are supposed to be teaching them.