As reported by Adotas and Newsweek, MySpace is planning to give parents some control over their kids' presence on the site.
Spurred by the rash of assualts on teenage girls by adults they met on MySpace (and the subsequent lawsuits filed by parents), the project is codenamed "Zephyr." Zephyr would allow parents to view certain aspects of their kids' profiles - like the age they claim to be - without giving them access to messages or other, more creative, profile features.
Zephyr gives parents some control over what they're kids are doing, yet sounds discreet enough that the young'uns wouldn't be psyched off the site.
Certain lawmakers don't feel it's enough, however. In addition for pushing the minimum age from 14 to 16, they're also pushing for age verification. Not sure how you'd do that without microchipping the kids, but hey -- go for it.
It sounds like the folks at MySpace are in it for real, too...I'm sure the lawsuits aren't much fun for them, but they're taking an appropriate amount of responsibility. And pushing off an appropriate amount on parents, while they're at it.
Hemanshu Nigam, chief security officer for MySpace, responded in a prepared statement that the site "serves as an industry leader on Internet safety and we take proactive measures to protect our members." Nigam also asserts that Internet safety ultimately is "a shared responsibility." [Newsweek]
Can't help but wonder if the new Disney site will have Zephyr-like controls...I suspect that, having a more family-friendly reputation to uphold, their controls will be a little more intrusive.
I strongly believe that Internet is the ‘’today’’ part of new technologies and like any powerful tool of nature, has to be managed and accessed properly to get real benefits out of it. And, only a combination of educational programs and parental involvement is still the most effective way to keep our kids safe online…
I think educators, parents, and members of the community are looking for new tool to support their children educational role about Internet that’s why we created AxylomClass ® a 2nd generation of Internet parent control software based on an innovative approach without exploiting standard technological filter or censure approaches but a Trust mode of navigation.
AxylomClass ® lend a hand as parent to develop and to sustain self-governance, ethical and critical attitudes from yours children electronically connected to the world with a solid control on Internet clutter.
Finally, to give them a reason to push aside all of that clutter and focus on reaching their true potential, in school and beyond.
Posted by: Yvon Brousseau | March 22, 2007 at 04:49 PM