MySpace Fears, Just Another Backlash? 308
An anonymous reader writes "Wired takes a hard look at all the hype about MySpace being a danger to teens, and concludes it's just another backlash against technology and youth culture. The most damning evidence against MySpace are the recent cases of men arrested for dating underage girls they met through the site, but statistically these cases are a drop in the bucket. From the article: 'In fact, with a reported population of 57 million users, MySpace is arguably safer from such crime than other communities that haven't been the subject of the same scrutiny. One example: California, which averaged 62 statutory rape convictions per month in the late 90s, in a state population of 33 million.'"
Back in the 60s (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Back in the 60s (Score:2)
That's because you left it plugged in. She was teaching you a lesson: you can beat your sibblings, but not electrocute them.
Guns don't kill people... (Score:5, Insightful)
Sometimes people meet each other through school and then have underage sex... I don't hear any claims that school is a "danger to teens". It's time we stopped blaming technology for merely giving people opportunities to show their moral fibre.
Re:Guns don't kill people... (Score:2)
Seriously, though, the comparison in the article (MySpace vs California) isn't quite as good as it may sound - the "population density" of MySpace certainly is a lot lower than that of California, as people are spaced out further; hence the potential for actual rape to happen would be higher in California, wouldn't it? (i.e. if a guy on MySpace, who lives in russia, makes contact to an unde
Re:Guns don't kill people... (Score:2)
A lot of the media and community chatter in response to these incidents has been about the dangers of the internet, but really it's about these not-quite-adults learning to behave responsibly. Drinking is questionable enough
Information and Distribution (Score:2)
The internet gives teenagers like these one more p
Re:Guns don't kill people... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Guns don't kill people... (Score:2)
I agree as well. This is another situation where parental control must come in hand. If a teen is going to get involved in illegal and/or risky activity they're just as likely to do it without the benefit of MySpace.
This isn't to say that MySpace doesn't suck anyway but...
But...! (Score:2, Informative)
Sometimes people meet each other through school and then have underage sex... I don't hear any claims that school is a "danger to teens". It's time we stopped blaming technology for merely giving people opportunities to show their moral fibre.
School is a danger to teens! There, you see? I claimed it. But seriously, many professionals in the area of education have said, after many years in the secondary ed industry, that school is in fact a real danger to growing minds' ability to develop critical thi
Re:But...! (Score:2)
I think you understand my point, though, that your average adult won't try to take their children out of school, whereas they are liable to overreact about MySpace. Ironically, school probably is more damaging - would the disadvantages of home-schoo
Re:Guns don't kill people... (Score:2)
Sometimes people meet each other through school and then have underage sex... I don't hear any claims that school is a "danger to teens". It's time we stopped blaming technology for merely giving people opportunities to show their moral fibre.
I remember when the big problem used to be chatrooms and they had the exact same complaints as they do with myspace. And then it was instant messangers.
This all boils down to the internet being an even worse babysitter than the TV. Some friends of mine have their
Re:Guns don't kill people... (Score:2)
i thought the same thing until i looked at friendster recently...
The Real Danger of Kids Online (Score:4, Funny)
And this comment right here shows the real danger of kids going online, the fall of modern grammar and spelling. Do you really want your kid to sound like this?
And moyameehaa, maybe you're not a native English speaker. If so, I'm sorry that I had to use you as an example for this satire. If not... you should hang your head in shame, man.
Re:The Real Danger of Kids Online (Score:4, Insightful)
You mean like Alanis Morrisette's misuse of the word "ironic"? Connotations "vary" among people who are using words that they do not understand. A simple check of a dictionary can provide the definitions necessary to make one properly understood.
Grammar and proper spelling only facilitate the persuasiveness of an argument since it sounds more pleasing.
Proper grammar and spelling facilitate the persuasiveness of an argument because they make it more comprehend-able. If I cannot understand your argument, you aren't likely to persuade me.
While yes there are cases where the improper use of they/it/ect does hinder the reader
What does electro-convulsive therapy (ect) have do do with your argument? Granted, its improper use would hinder anyone, not just the reader. OK, that's a cheap shot. I'm just having fun with you.
Sadly the easiest way to sum up my argument is... List off how many Authors names you remember. Now, list off who edited their works.
You sum up your argument with a non-sequitar? What does this have to do with the proper use of grammar? Are you under the misapprehension that an editor's job is to cross a "t" or dot an "i"? That the main function of a book editor is to proof read?
Look, your argument is barely understandable, and you haven't really proved any points. Proper grammar is conducive to logical thought, but it's not a guarantee of it.
If you want to use informal shorthand when you're IMing or text messaging someone, fine. Don't make the mistake that such shorthand is acceptable for a more complex "transmission of ideas". For that you need a more formal language.
Hype? Of course it is (Score:4, Insightful)
I think they have a quota. At least one station in every market MUST show the viewers/readers a way that the new society is 'bad' at least once a day.
Once a week, they all have to get together and show us the SAME story on some way that we can be kidnapped or killed.
"Dangers lurking in your sink! Details at 11!"
Now...back to the story at hand. Are some kids being fools on MySpace? Sure there are. These same kids would be fools anywhere. MySpace is just one outlet for them.
Re:Hype? Of course it is (Score:2, Interesting)
This is the same hype as when phone chat rooms came out, that pedophiles were going to run wild and eat children alive, and kids would be able to play "phone pranks" while running loose in the street, drunk at 2 a.m. while having unprotected sex with seven STD-infested prostitutes. It's all nonsense, cooked up to sell magazines.
Anyway, good call.
Re:Hype? Of course it is (Score:2, Interesting)
She started off with some reasonable advice: put the computer in a central, common area where you could keep tabs on how much time they spent and what they were doing -- get involved and educate yourself about things so y
Re:Hype? Of course it is (Score:2, Interesting)
Moral Panic [wikipedia.org]
But... this is the INTERNET! (Score:3, Interesting)
Free expression, free opinion, thinking for yourself? What for, when you can have Fox?
Re:But... this is the INTERNET! (Score:4, Interesting)
Back when I was younger I wasn't allowed to watch "You Can't do That on Television" and the Simpsons. I wasn't allowed to have an Nintendo (or a "game machine" as my father called it). Instead I was told to go play with my computer.
Boy have times changed
I Don't Know (Score:2)
I don't know about that!
<looking up nervously>
Uh.... (Score:2, Informative)
So, the article is comparing a the state of California (a physical region) with MySpace, which is in Cyberspace. To me, that does not sound like a fair comparison. I believe that the comparison to California's crime rate is invalid because cybercrime may or may not involve actual physical contact. And, if it doesn't involve physical contact (for example, a dirty phone conversation), the
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
You must be fun at parties.
Re:Uh.... (Score:4, Insightful)
I believe that the comparison to California's crime rate is invalid because cybercrime may or may not involve actual physical contact. And, if it doesn't involve physical contact (for example, a dirty phone conversation), then it may not be reported.
So what, now -talking- about having underage sex is illigal, should be reported as sexual harrassment or such? wtf? Keep the frame of reference here. The issue was the fact that people were meeting on myspace and proceeding to have real, in person, SEX!. My issues with the legal age aside, you can NOT compare phonesex with a minor to statitory rape.
IMHO, that job should include removing computers from their children's bedroom.
At what age does it become acceptable? 18? 16? 14? If you've got a 15 year old girl that wants to flirt on the net, removing her computer from her room isnt going to stop her. If you want to be sure that she doesnt go meet some 40 year old in a motel for a night of wild sex, then raise her with values that wouldnt let her do that.
Teens running off and having sex with older folks isnt a symptom of the internet, its a symptom of something totally different. Yes, teach them not to put themselves in bad situations, but that doesnt mean removing their privacy to achieve it.
When my dad started dating my mom, he was 22 and she was 16. 30 years ago, that was still a big age difference, but when they past their 30th anniversary this year, it made me wonder what kinda fuss they went through and weather it would be more or less flac if I dated someone 6 years my junior now.
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
IANAL, but having a dirty phone conversation with an underage person is probably very illegal. At the minimum, it is immoral and an adult that engages in that activity should be considered a potential pedophile.
And, you just so happened to skip over the another part of my post. I pointed out that pa
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
I suppose I should clarify my statement regarding legal age. I'm Canadian, and up here we have sane (and good) laws about "underage" sex. I'm not quite sure what americans think take place when a teenager turns 18, but my opinion on the statitory rape charge is purely some way for parents to get ba
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
Maybe I should clarify. I was 15 years old once. If, back when I was 15, I had phone sex with ANOTHER 15 year old, that would be considered normal (although my mother would have been upset with me). I am now 39. If I had phone sex with a teenager today, then that could be considered odd,
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
Section 2425. Use of Interstate Facilities to Transmit Information About a Minor
* Whoever, using the mail or any facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly initiates or attempts to initiate the transmission of the name, address, telephone number, social security number, or electronic mail address of any individual who has not attained the age of 16 years with the intent to entice, encourage, offer, or solicit that minor to engage in any se
No. (Score:2)
No, that's not the danger at all. The danger is that there are kids putting that information out there in the first place. The only remedy is to educate your kids about the dangers before they put themselves in such a position, whether they do it on Myspace, Livejournal, Geocities, or a fully hosted, hand-coded personal site.
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
Yes, and it's only the information you choose to share about yourself unless you're aware of something I'm not.
But, parents should consider doing their job. Note: IMHO, that job should include removing computers from their children's bedroom.
You know, the "parents should consider doing their job" line gets really tiresome. That sl
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
You know, the "parents should consider doing their job" line gets really tiresome. That slogan isn't a magic wand that will suddenly make all the kids do their homework, clean behind their ears, and otherwise act to someone's idea of perfection.
Nice job of splitting up my comment. If parents did their job, they would know that children are potentially posting private information on a public we
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
This is incorrect. They are not comparing crime rates, they are comparing the number of cases of statutory rape attributed to each community. Statutory rape, by definition, does involve and require physical
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
That was my point. It is the parent's job to monitor what the child is doing.
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
They are comparing one state's conviction rate to theirs, and claiming victory. The problem is that they assume equally successful discovery and prosecution of internet, interstate activities occurring on myspace. There's no way myspace can claim to be even close to equally transparent to law enforcement, or that law enforcement is technologically equipped to deal with this new kind of risk.
In fact, if you assume that pedophilia is happening at least at the same rate
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
I'd be much more worried if she were using Windows:-) (She is an even more of a Mac bigot than I am - thank goodness.)
My point is that she is a well behaved child and I'm not worried.
Re:Uh.... (Score:2)
While the 'distance factor' of MySpace does make it less likely that a child will be assaulted by a lurker, the distance factor also doesn't make MySpace completely safe.
As I posted, the parent should be aware of what their child is doing on-line. It may not prevent them from all dangers, but, it could help the parent spot a dangerous
Good for the ratings (Score:2)
Stoies like this appear because its good for ratings. Moms everywhere will watch the report because they don't understand MySpace.com and will think their kids are being preyed on. It's a non-isssue for now.
http://religiousfreaks.com/ [religiousfreaks.com]MySpace: The Movie (Score:2)
What do they expect? (Score:2, Insightful)
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Human nature is just more visible on the internet. (Score:3, Insightful)
Indeed. I'm often amazed that so many people seem to refuse to accept the existance of exhibitionists.
Sluts and teases often are exhibitionists. They enjoy having people drool at them. Some use "mooning" as a socially aceptable outlet for their desire to show their ass to people, and now there's the joy of webcams, where they can, from the security of their own room, show their nubile bodie
Re:It definitely is the parents' fault (Score:2, Insightful)
I was born into a house without a computer, first "peecee" was an XT when I was 8 or so. Didn't get on the net until years later in 1996, etc...
My parents didn't watch over shit I did on the net because by time I got access to the net (at age 14) I was already capable of figuring out that the "neo-nazi's of Oregan" aren't really a nice bunch to hang out with, etc, etc, etc.
So maybe the trick is that you shouldn't let your
Re:It definitely is the parents' fault (Score:2)
Re:It definitely is the parents' fault (Score:2)
If you don't trust them to make good decisions by the time they're 18, you've either done something wrong, or you're having a real hard time letting go.
Re:It definitely is the parents' fault (Score:2)
Besides which, unless you intend to follow your son around everywhere, he is absolutely guaranteed to get whatever smut he wants off of the Internet -- at a friend's house, or at a library/school/university computer that doesn't censor its access. Or heck, if he's even reasonably intelligent and lives in an urban area, he'll probably
Re:It definitely is the parents' fault (Score:2)
Re:It definitely is the parents' fault (Score:2)
Back in 1996. I had the computer in my bed room with a BIOS password and about 3 local ISPs that I had passwords for. *coughs*
However, as my parents believed (and it turned out to be true) I ended up becoming quite successful in the technology industry because they gave me free reign over the computer.
Don't leave a record kids... (Score:3, Informative)
You see, before the parents didn't know little susie was blowing little billy behind the gym, now they can read about it and their scared. Or they (the parents) didn't know that their kids know about pot, sex, curse words, even politics to some extent, and they know the kids didn't learn it from them (the parents).
So where did little Susie/Billy learn about premarital sex and drugs and drinking and etc... Tv? no, School? no, Home? Hell no! They must have learned it from MySpace and Yahoo Chatrooms and Eminem.
It's not that kids talk about sex nowadays, and it's not that little girls and boys act like little whores and quasi-pimps, it is that these kids put it out there... for all to see, including their parents.
Re:Don't leave a record kids... (Score:2)
Guess what? Kids have always talked and thought like that, and I'm willing to bet that to a very great extent, they've always done many of the things they're doing now. Fourteen-year-olds shacking up with 25-year-olds ai
Re:Don't leave a record kids... (Score:2)
So did cars and backseats in the 1950's.
exactly... (Score:2)
uh...safer? (Score:2)
'In fact, with a reported population of 57 million users, MySpace is arguably safer from such crime than other communities that haven't been the subject of the same scrutiny. One example: California, which averaged 62 statutory rape convictions per month in the late 90s, in a state population of 33 million.'
It's interesting that this line jumped out to the poster, but it did for me for waaaaaaaaay different reasons: my first thought was, "who's the myopic statistician???" This FACT proves
Not Just Another Backlash (Score:4, Funny)
No, it's not just another backlash. It's another backlash with background midi music and 30 animated gifs.
Re:Not Just Another Backlash (Score:2)
Re:Not Just Another Backlash (Score:2)
If it were animated GIFs I'd be fine. It's 30 animated QuickTime movies and Flash animations. Some people's computers just can't handle that without their browser all but crashing.
Attention parents (Score:2)
Because you did the same thing when you were their age.
Re:Attention parents (Score:2)
Re:Attention parents (Score:2)
I totally agree, the Hippie Generation is now the Hypocrite Generation
If you are really worried about your teenage daughter dating men from MySpace, just talk to them about it. Show that you love and care for them, then maybe they won't go do stupid things or at least will have some discretion in their dating.
Re:Attention parents (Score:2)
1) Do as I say, not as I do
2) Yes, but now I realize it was a mistake, and I don't want you to do the same
3) Yes, and it was a lot of fun. But I'm still saying no.
4) Yes, and now that I think about it, it really wasn't all thatbad. Have fun, kid.
Re:Attention parents (Score:2)
Then the parent could say 'No, I didn't, and here's why.' Assuming the parent hasn't given the child a reason to think the parent is lying, you might actually be able to have a *gasp* rational discussion with someone else with a nearly-fully functioning brain!
When people like you assume teenagers are all moronic rebels-without-a-clue and are impervious to reas
Don't forget The Daily Show ... (Score:2)
Comedian Demetri Martin [myspace.com] did a hilarious exposé on MySpace [youtube.com] on The Daily Show recently, which tends to reflect some of this backlash.
(Google video had it for awhile, but it's disappeared from there. Thank you, YouTube!)
myspace and the news (Score:2)
Re:myspace and the news (Score:2)
But it is tailormade to be a "Cause of the Week"...It's just like all the hype over IM and IRC before it, so it just may be the usual crap, and the aquisition just brought it to media attention.
Abuse (Score:2)
Myspace woman murdered in my county (Score:2)
Doesn't seem to be far fetched here. Usually, like all of you, think it's being hyped to generate news. But in this case it is very, very real. Just ask her family.
I think she was 27 and he was 22, or something like that. So it's not just a risk for the young ones.
Re:Myspace woman murdered in my county (Score:4, Insightful)
And this doesn't happen if people were to meet in a bar? MySpace is not the cause, merely (another) conduit.
The guy is the problem, not MySpace.
Re:Myspace woman murdered in my county (Score:3, Insightful)
I think that the story could have ended there as it's no different than any other date... But nooooo. They had to go on and mention that they met on MySpace. I assume that meeting on MySpace is so much different than meeting in say, a bar, where you would probably be even more vunerable either by way of alcohol or open containers that are easy enough to slip in a drug
Re:Myspace woman murdered in my county (Score:3, Insightful)
At what point exactly can we blame the context more than the criminals?
Re:Myspace woman murdered in my county (Score:2)
How is this any different from if she met him on a dating site? In a bar? In a club? It's not. Standard "stranger danger" common sense still applies.
Always meet in a busy location, e.g. a restaurant at lunchtime. At the end of the date have a friend pick you up. Always let people know who you are with/where you are going.
There are bad people out there, myspace is just another in a long line of places to meet them.
Re:Myspace woman murdered in my county (Score:2)
I was actually expecting MySpace to be better because there is the networking aspect. But that seems to mean nothing.
Statistics and damn statistics. (Score:2)
Statistics and reality (Score:2)
If we REALLY wanted to protect children from abuse, sexual or otherwise, we'd take them away from their families. Statistically, this "predator" nonsense is practically a non-issue. The vast majority of abuse comes from a parent, relative, or trusted friend. No Internet needed for that to happen, either.
"men arrested for dating underage girls" (Score:2)
That's a curiously benign way of putting it.
http://www.perverted-justice.com/ [perverted-justice.com]
No worry. Myspace will implode (Score:2)
I had never had a myspace account until quite recently. Once I got the account going. The following things jumped out at me RIGHT AWAY.
1. The web design for the user space is GOD AWFUL ugly
2. It's hard to find stuff, it's NOT intuitive
3. myspace seems filled with bogus account (ads for women who want you to sign up for their porn video)
4. It's Sloooooooow
Re:No worry. Myspace will implode (Score:2)
Myspace will never implode (Score:2)
Re:No worry. Myspace will implode (Score:2)
1. The web design for all user generated content is GOD AWFUL ugly.
2. unintuitive s a matter of opinion. It seems that enough kids are able to figure stuff out. Maybe having to learn how to make it look a little better is part of the attraction; it contributes to the social aspects because you have to ask friends for help.
3. And email accounts are filled with bogus email addresses pimping V1@gr@ and M0rgt@gz CH3@P!
4. Oh, it's slow because Myspace is a kludged together system which the operat
Privacy? (Score:5, Interesting)
This misses the point: MySpace has numerous "polls" and other crap that asks kids questions which destroy their privacy. Kids being kids don't see the danger in having a permanent public record about themselves and routinely answer questions like whether or not they drink, do drugs and have sex. Coupled with the ease in which they disclose their age, where they live and where they go to school, kids disclose all sorts of information online they shouldn't and make it easy to tie the myspace account to an actual human.
This isn't limited to MySpace, but MySpace asks the questions and prompts kids to reveal this information.
I also don't question whether or not schools have the right to block MySpace at the firewall, they do and should do so if they deem it isn't of educational value. Computers and the 'net are in school to support curriculum, not to meet your buddies online and chat with.
Re:Privacy? Unexpected Reveals (Score:3, Interesting)
As I told my daughter, even if you don't post your pictures
Lets just be honest (Score:2)
No need to dance around the point. Why don't we all just admit that we hate the myspacer's and if they are dumb enough to get themselves raped or killed becuase they post oodles of personal information on the site, then good riddance.
That is what most of us are thinking isn't it?
<\NaturalSelection>
Greasemonkey is a godsend (Score:2)
Sadly, this also removes the text entry window(bloggers, forums, etc) but you can disable on the fly. The important part is that it removes embedded music videos. Who thought it would be a great idea to embed music videos that auto-play upon visiting your profile?
A few more greasemonkey scripts to install, and suddenly myspace is much easier to surf.
If parents want to get involved with their teens on myspace,
Re:Greasemonkey is a godsend (Score:2)
The truth is worse... (Score:2)
Law enforcement also a threat to MySpace users? (Score:2)
Teenager arrested because of photo on myspace showing him holding handguns [cnn.com]
They've charged him with three counts of juvenile possession of a handgun.
This has happened before with pictures showing teenagers drinking or using/possessing illegal drugs.
However, depending on how he got ahold of the handguns, his holding them was perfectly legal in Colorado. All that would be required would be his parent's permission.
Statutory rape is all politics (Score:3, Interesting)
I honestly believe statutory rape is not real rape. It's all religious dogma masked by political posturing. Let's say I'm 21 and married to a 16 year old. Yep, that's legal in most of Europe. And we're having sex too (this is
We fly out to the states for our honeymoon and bam I can be locked up for 5 years.
WTF?
Do girls really only become women in the US at 18 but in most of Europe at 16? 14 in the Netherlands?
Or is there an element of prudishness mixed with a lack of political will to look soft on anything with 'rape' in the title.
Real rape is a horrific deprivation of a woman's right to choose and consent to an intimate act. Statutory rape is a politician telling a woman she has no right to consent.
62 cases of statutory rape per month in California says more about a need to change the age of consent than it does the presence of predatory adults.
-Nano.
Re:Statutory rape is all politics (Score:3, Insightful)
Also, age of consent laws apply to both sexes, not just women, although some countries have different ages for males and females involved in same or opposite sex relationships. How do you think they justify that? The way you put it, age of consent laws are intended to punish women and that's preposterous. Age of consent laws are inten
"LADIES, WATCH OUT!" (Score:2)
At least with email, when I responded to a thread about a hoax the person became so offended that they stopped forwarding me the ur
ACK! Wired Statistics on Slashdot (Score:2)
Re:My school blocked MYSPACE (Score:2)
Should Slashdot be blocked at work?
Re:My school blocked MYSPACE (Score:2)
Much like how my university offered undergraduates a very popular evening course on bypassing P2P blocking.
These school web-filtering products are really, more than anything else I can think of, what are going to breed the next generation of hackers. (Or at least, the next generation of script kiddies; but somebody has to write those scripts!) It provides a social incentive to do something reall
Re:Maybe bad math? (mod parent up) (Score:2, Insightful)
How can anyone compare 33 million physically existing people with 57 million registered accounts in a digital database? Furthermore how do you compare an online "community" with a the state of california?
Re:Maybe bad math? (Score:2, Funny)
-ds
Why wasn't I counted? (Score:2)
Re:It isnt just dating young girls... (Score:2)
My question to you is what should we do about it? These same people who are using MySpace are going to display the same type of risky activity without MySpace. Ultimatly it comes down to parents taking their kids in hand.
I still have yet to see a solution that MySpace can reasonably enforce. Come up with a viable solution instead of just pointing out the flaws.
Re:Underage dating a crime? (Score:2)
Re:Easy fix (Score:2)
Re:Easy fix (Score:2)
I don't allow her to be in the bedroom with her boyfriend with the door closed, is
Re:This is not a good place for kids/teens (Score:2)
Simply clicking on a link certifying your age does nothing to stop a child from viewing adult content and it's not proof that anyone is old enough. Your example, "well hung 4 your pleasure" may be adult content for you but not for everyone. You need to enter the real world.
I've been to personal ad sites and seen underage people I KNOW with ads claiming the
Re:This is not a good place for kids/teens (Score:2)
And just what does MySpace "do"? The site was established originally for bands. They do not exist to create a playground for sodomites as you suggest. They do have policies forbidding explicit content and they block public access to accounts below 16 years old. Doesn't stop people for posting explicit content or kids lying about their ages of course. MySpace is he