So you've likely heard the story circling recently that MySpace gets more daily traffic than Google. Don't know if it's true or not (likely it isn't), but the mere fact that the story is circulating illustrates just how much buzz MySpace is getting.
About a month ago, my wife was watching the evening news on television. When I walked into the room, she said, "Hey, look at this story." I stopped to watch--a two-minute feature on MySpace, and how it's being used by many predators to target young kids. After the story finished, my wife looked at me and said, "Scary, isn't it?"
I paused for a moment. "I have a page on MySpace," I said.
Her turn for the pause. "You do?"
"Yeah. You know, for the book and stuff. Lots of other authors over there, and fan groups for horror writers, and writers like Ted Dekker. People who might be interested in my book, you know."
She looked at me a few moments and slowly nodded, then I sneaked out of the room. The thing is, the story--and her reaction--confirmed what I'd somewhat felt about MySpace any time I ventured over there--which is to say, I felt like the dirty old man who hangs out around school playgrounds. The site has kids as young as 14, and probably half the users are under 20. Maybe not quite half, but close. Certainly, 90% are under thirty.
Me? I ain't under thirty. In fact, I'm just about to be spit out the other end of that "thirtysomething" label.
So, let's just say the story about sexual predators stalking kids on MySpace didn't exactly make me feel better about using it. Judging from the ads served on the site alone, its primary purpose is "dating" (euphemistically speaking). Whenever I sign in to MySpace, an ad for a dating service shows a scantily-clad young woman, along with the tag line of "It's nice to be naughty." Hmm, what's the underlying message? And why is it appropriate for 14-year-old kids to see it? For that matter, is it appropriate for 39-year-old married men to see it? And is it any wonder predators might target the site?
Just today, I received a "Friend Request" from a 20-year-old woman claiming to be from Jordan, Montana. I clicked to see her profile, and was greeted by her photo: a view of her butt, clad in nothing but a G-string. Other photos showed her in lingerie, posing seductively on a bed. This, it was obvious to me, was not a girl from the small prairie town of Jordan, Montana. It was a fake profile, the MySpace equivalent of "Hey, check out my webcam!" meant to lure hormone-fueled young men to porn sites. Yet one more reason to avoid MySpace.
I scrolled through all the comments on this young woman's profile, noting, among other things, that every friend she has invited is male. Most of the comments were the garden-variety "You're so HOTT!" exclamations, but I'd like to give special note to Tanner, who made me laugh out loud with his comment:
Yet another hot woman I don't know in skimpy underwear wanting me to add them as a friend. When will this ever stop? Look, I am sure you are nice and all, but I have a dungeons and dragons tournament to get back to.
It's obvious Tanner was being facetious with his comment--especially after looking at his profile (Hot Dog is the best movie of all time! Except for Basquiat.). But that didn't make the comment any less funny. At least Tanner can navigate MySpace with a healthy dose of humor intact. Tanner, I don't think we have to worry about; give him a hall pass and let him wander the halls of MySpace as much as he wants.
It's the young men posting "You are a SMOKIN' chick!" comments who worry me. If they can't recognize a scam here, what hope is there for them out in the real world? On the other hand, who am I kidding? Maybe MySpace is the new real world.
So I've been thinking: I need to spend more time on MySpace. People who have pure intentions need to spend time on MySpace. People who want to simply connect with friends (not "friends") need to spend time on MySpace. People who have no agenda or scheme need to spend time on MySpace.
If not, the only folks there will 45-year-old porn entrepreneurs posing as 20-year-old women from Jordan, Montana--along with the undiscerning young men who easily fall for their scams.
Tanner, you're getting a "Friend" request from me right now.
