Myspace Giving Parents Some Control

It is more likely that a child will be struck by lightening than abducted by a stranger, but parents still worry about the safety of their kids.  The internet has made it impossible to keep kids away from strangers.  Many of the Web 2.0 communities give the kids using the sites a false sense of security.  It also allows those same kids to keep what they are doing out of the hands of nosey parents.

Until now.

Myspace has announced that it will offer software that will give parents the ability to monitor portions of their children’s online activities - at least on the home computer.  It won’t give parents the ability to spy (read emails or profiles) but it will allow them to know what age, description, and location the child is advertising.

Does it really go far enough?  Most experts would say no.  The idea that kids can block their parents from accessing anything of theirs is wrong.  If kids want that kind of freedom they need to get jobs, move out of their parents’ homes, and fend for themselves.

Myspace is trying to find a way to appease the parents and still keep the business of the kids.  This software is just not the best way to make either side all that happy.