myspace is a subculture in itself (much like fubar) - but at least in fubar's case,while I have spotted a teenager or two on here (at least they seem to be by their pics), it *seems* for the most part, a lot less encouraging of youth as myspace is.
The provocative dress, belly/crotch shots that are popular on myspace reflects bored teenagers on a slippery slope. If its among friends @ school, I figure its mostly harmless...have a "private" (ha ha) profile, only add known people --- myspace makes it easy enough to have a closed "clique" of friends. When used in that manner, I don't care *what* they do online. B4 myspace, they had polaroids.
But when the profile is public and sexualized --- THAT'S what gets creepy. Teens beg parents "Mom, let me keep the computer in my room" - always a mistake. What homework gets done on the computer anyhow?
Yet, parents are still fooled, seeing their kids as little kids not realizing that the feeling of "it's just online - it's safe - it's not real, it's fantasy / role-playing / it's just pictures" - pervades the myspace subculture - and the naivity of teens and invincibility they naturally feel (as most teens do - "I can handle anything -NOTHING fazes ME!") plays right into that.
Enter the perv.
Myspace seems oh-so-private but its anything but. "Oh, I used a fake age. I used a fake zipcode" - bah, doesn't work when your profile says, "I go to oakview middle school" "Sk8r" "Hannah Montana is da sht" -- it doesn't take a social scientist to figure this stuff out.
and its creepy.
should myspace be responsible? Sure. Partially.
should parents be responsible? Definitely. But there's no cure for stupid except god-awful life situations.
how about schools? Well, they can at least prevent anonymous proxy usage at the schools, access to myspace and other social networking sites by whatever means necessary. And don't trust netnanny or other pre-packaged systems. Each school needs a sys-admin who KNOWS what they're doing and is two steps ahead of the kids.
It's not even the 16+ set that bothers me so much. (if it was on fubar it would bother me) - it's the under 16 set that is in the most danger from themselves. Having two nieces and I hear the stuff their parents are constantly going through with this stuff, I understand.
But I remember this stuff in the late 1980's/early 1990's with BBS's. Girls were not at risk back then 'cause, well, face it, girls didn't do as much geeky stuff. Some did (one of my fav girlfriends back then was a computer nut - but alas, nuttier than I) -- but mostly guys.
And I met my share of pervs at BBS parties in local towns back then. ya handle it and at least it's in groups of people who can at least shame the offender into behaving. (nobody was ever shunned - just given a talking to) Same as when I was experimenting with CB radio before BBS's.
But when it's _SO_ one-on-one with webcams and such (and I remember as a teenager it seems nearly girl I knew had a fantasy of pole-dancing - more for the athleticism of it and the lure of quick money, but also because the idea of it made them feel sexy) - although none of them ever did it.
Still, that need for "feel sexy" for approval and self-esteem causes a potentially dangerous situation in a society where sexuality is both applauded and shunned.
There is no healthy inbetween and no outlet that isn't frought with potential danger.
Thankfully, all readers have survived their childhoods.
Hopefully the current generation will survive too.
Perhaps that is all we can hope for.
