is myspace too dangerous?

Are we too wired?

by Dolores

Do you enjoy talking to friends you haven't talked to in a long time?  Do you miss out on childhood friends you used to kick it with in the neighborhood? Do you sometimes wish you could meet new friends?  If you're like many American youth, you have found that experience in Myspace.

Myspace is popular because you can talk to friends that you haven't talked to in a long time. You can talk about all the things you have done over the summer or talk about who you like or anything you want. You can meet new people an get to be their friend and over time you can tell them about the stuff you like to do. Myspace is fun, but is it dangerous?

The good things about Myspace is that you get to hear about some of the drama that goes around. For example, some drama is funny and some things are crazy and you feel like you are a part of it. No one likes to feel left out and Myspace helps keep you from being left out. But sometimes the drama starts fights. Someone can spread a nasty rumor and send it as a bulletin or post a mean comment and it spreads.  Is it the fault of Myspace? Not at all.  Kids would do that anyway.  But Myspace makes it more public.

Another good thing about it is that you can put pictures on your profile page and show people your style. Personally, I like to put pictures of me and my friends.  I like finding layouts and redesigning the theme. It's an area online where I can be creative.  It's like getting to redecorate your room without having to pay money. But there is a danger here, too.  Some kids make profiles public and attract the wrong people.  Some kids post pictures that involve drinking or drugs and then they get caught. 

Myspace is a new way that kids are interacting.  It's defining our friendships.  Some say that it's dangerous.  Maybe it means we are talking less and playing less and facing a computer screen more often.  Or maybe we're connected and social more often and spending less time just sitting in front of a t.v. set.  Either way, sites like Myspace are here to stay and we need to think about what makes them safe and what makes them dangerous.

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