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MySpace to Offer Spyware for Parents
mrspin writes "Following continuing pressure from politicians (and parts of the media), MySpace is planning to offer parents the chance to download software which will monitor aspects of their children's activities on the social networking site. From a business point of view, the move appears to be a highly risky one. The young users of social networking sites are notorious for their lack of loyalty — and history suggests that a change like this could tempt many to abandon MySpace for the 'next cool thing'."
My wife and I just demanded the myspace password for my step-daughter's account (she's 12). I kick myself for not paying any attention to that damned site, because of it's sheer obnoxiousness and ugly designs. If I had paid attention I'd have a better feel for all the "ins-and-outs" of the stupid site. I was glad to see this information brought up on the local news here; but like I said to my wife: :P
The kids will just go someplace else.
So who wants to fund the next "myspace killer" with me?
put the what in the where?
Not your space anymore, son.
Children are innovative. Even if they don't move to different social networking sites, they'll find some way around this spyware.
I'm sure the developers of this software spent much time during their youth trying to hide and protect their ill-obtained, yet sacred, copies of Hustler, Penthouse and Playboy. Just as they succeeded then, the youth of today will no doubt succeed in protecting the Web activities they hold sacred.
I thought that MS was the only company that could so effortlessly shoot themselves in the feet. Parental monitoring should pretty much put an end to much of the MySpace userbase.
Interestingly, if parents can do this with some software, is the government already doing it for them, but just not telling? I have to wonder about any company that will offer to 'spy' on you or your kids. I'm sort of interested in finding out how they will know that it is a parent of the account holder they are willing to spy on? Does the software have to be installed on the same computer as the child uses? That would only last about a week before its cracked.... expect YouTube videos on how to disable it within the week.
Support NYCountryLawyer RIAA vs People
Just because your kids dont want you to know every single detail of their life doesnt mean that they are hooking up with 35 year olds. People take this business of monitoring their kids internet use too seriously. Would you tap your teenagers phone calls? If not whats the difference?
With any luck, this will be the third-to-last
FairTax baby!
My GOD, it's DOOMSDAY. Myspace users will begin to leave myspace and begin to infect the rest of the internet. KILL ME NOW!
Even if this move doesn't drive away the kids, if nogoodniks are able to pretend to be parents and monitor the activities of other peoples' kids, this is going to be a nightmare.
Perhaps I am dull witted tonight, but I can't imagine how they can make this spyware foolproof.
We don't see the world as it is, we see it as we are.
-- Anais Nin
According to the article, the software only shows what name, age, and location the user is claiming. It does not provide any other information.
This is a well thought-out solution, as it provides the important information while still providing privacy to the user.
Unfortunately, for many teens any information is too much to share, and many parents think that any privacy is too much to allow.
Better software!
"0101100101? It's just jibberish. *looks in mirror, gasps* 1010011010@!? AHHHHHH!!"
Okay, let's disregard whether parents would/should need a piece of software to help them watch their children.
More importantly, how are these parents going to install and use this software? I would say that the majority children are more tech-savvy than their parents, and aren't likely to willingly help their parents peer into their private life.
So, how are parents going to install and configure a piece of software that will require user names and other information they might need to ask their children for anyways? What's to stop a child from setting up a dummy account to render the software useless?
Parents who install the monitoring software on their home computers would be able to find out what name, age and location their children are using to represent themselves on MySpace. The software doesn't enable parents to read their child's e-mail or see the child's profile page
So it tells the parents the exact same information they would get by searching for their kids name, email, or username on myspace. Even the private/hidden profiles that I've seen still show username, age and location. How is downloading some proprietary software to get publicly available information useful?
------ Take away the right to say fuck and you take away the right to say fuck the government.
I say this as a parent. If US citizens do not have a right to privacy from corporations, why should a 13 year olds have a right to privacy from their parents?
"To Err is Human To Forgive is Divine neither of which is Marine Corp Policy"-My SNCOIC
but kids will be thrilled since they now can monitor their parents' behaviour on myspace.
I seem to see it as:
Everyone's all for spying, until they're the ones being spied on.
Most people's attitude about things like this change drastically after they actually have kids of their own to be responsible for.
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
As parents, the only thing you can do is try to be as trustworthy as possible. If you have reasonable success, your children may actually heed your warnings or at least realize when they are in trouble anc come to you for advice. You cannot get more. Monitoring, threats, harsh limits, etc... will just cause your children to leave home when they can and think bach of you as cretins (and rightfully so!).
An essential component of this is to trust your children. Sure, they will do stupid things, but hey, they are children and still learning. And if they know they can talk to you they may actually come to ask for advice. Don't bbe shocked or appalled, just try to do the best you can. And if you don't know, say so. And if you are uncomfotable with some of your childrens choices, tell them that, but also let them make their choices.
Eventually it boild down to respect. Respect your children. If you do that, then there is no way in hell that you can spy on them, which in my and very likely in your children's eyes is the ultimate sugn of disrespect.
Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
history suggests that a change like this could tempt many to abandon MySpace for the 'next cool thing'
And history also suggests that parents are quick to file lawsuits, juries are quick to side with the parents, and legislators are quick to pass new restrictive laws. Those trump what kids might do.
Myspace already gets held accountable for a very high degree of parental stupidity. They are merely trying to cover their own asses.
I want a new quote. One that won't spill. One that don't cost too much. Or come in a pill.
Ha! I've got a roommate!
riding round the world on an old motorcycle
Things wont change that much, because most parents don't use that type software. Those that do, don't know how to use it, or don't feel they need to monitor their children. Typical Window's users.
As a parent, and a Linux user at home and Windows user I'd agree to a certain point. My kids want to use/see certain sites that I just don't agree with. My house, I pay the bills for internet, end of frickin story. I don't actually block sites, but I let them know which ones they should avoid.
Another thing, WTF are you grouping this as a "Typical Windows User"? Moron.
Life was hell, then I discovered Linux...
Thus, I have no sympathy for kids who resent being spied on by their parents... it's their parent's property, they have every right to know every detail of how it is used. If they don't like their parents spying on them on the parents' computer then they should just not use their parents' computer... and find alternative methods of keeping in touch with their buddies that the parents won't be able to monitor because it's outside their jurisdiction.
And if parents don't like that kids will inevitably find such methods, tough. They should have thought of that before they had kids in the first place if they can't deal with the fact that their kid might be more ingenious than they are. Ideally, you teach them the whole time they are young how to make smart choices so that by the time they are making their own possibly life-altering decisions they will do the right thing... then spying on your kids would just be superfluous.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
It seems to me that most people who advocate covert spying are also the same people that push the mantra of, "If you have nothing to hide then why should you care?"
Yet those same people give me funny looks when I ask them what their salary is and why they're wearing clothes.
I guess we are just bad parents. Although we had talked to our son till we were blue in the face about not posting personal information, our preteen son had an account on MySpace - well actually a couple - that I found through a search. The clincher was when started getting phone calls from girls from all over and started making up lies of how they got his number.
Needless to say, his computer is not behind a squid proxy and is locked down to not going to any internet sites unless we approve and add them for homework reasons or other reasons... but we have to approve and add manually. This (for now) keeps the chat rooms, sites like this at bay. Although it does not keep the kid from going somewhere else and posting.. my theory is that while he is under our roof, he plays by my rules. He can like it or lump it.
It is like video games.. I play them with him, I see what computer and console games he is playing, and if I deem one inappropriate, it doesn't get played. Sure, I let him play Quake, Unreal, Rainbow6.. I have no problem with those games and such like that.. and I realize he can play stuff at friends. But, I am still the parent, and I control what goes on in my home. It is that simple.
Others will probably post what an awful parent I am and how kid is going to retaliate this or that.. but so be it.
The best I've come up with in response to that mantra has been "I have plenty to hide - deep, dark, disturbing secrets that you would be shocked to know. That's why I'm being so careful about hiding them" followed by a wink and a grin.