Sadly, MYSPACE gets all the bad press becuase it earns it. When you have the largest website on the Internet when it comes to a teen following, there are going to be a large number of problems. Some of the problems are high profile (pedophiles, rape, dangerous affairs, etc) so they get the press.
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Our 13-yr-old is not allowed on MYSPACE and never will be. There is absolutely NO REASON a young person needs to be "talking" with strangers. We wouldn't allow her to talk to a stanger on the street, so why would we allow her to "hook up with" a faceless, nameless identity behind a screen.
Our daughter is not alone. Many of her classmates are also barred from sites like MYSPACE. These teen girls and boy e-mail EACHOTHER and go to more innocent sites together. It can be done and it can be great for the teen!
It's time parents wake up to ALL the dangers on the web. Speaking to strangers (even on the Internet) is not safe and not good for teens. It's simply too risky. As parents, we are supposed to minimize that risk!
My hubby is a federal officer and knows all too well who is lurking on MYSPACE and other similar sites. If the general pubic knew what he knows (and sees too often), they would monitor their children MUCH more carefully.
