MySpace is a place where a lot of teens are creating their own personal Web space. Keeping teens safe while they're on MySpace is a big concern. If you have teens, then you're aware that the Internet can be a potentially dangerous place for them. It doesn't have to be that way though. There are many ways to keep teens safe while they're on MySpace.
There are several privacy settings that can help keep teens safe on MySpace. If you make sure your teens are using these privacy settings on their MySpace profile then you can be assured that your teens will be safe while they chat with their friends on MySpace.
Click on the link on your MySpace page that says "My Account" and I'll walk you through some of the ways you can keep your teens safe on MySpace.
1. Who Can See Your Teen's Profile?
Click on the "Privacy" tab in the account settings. There you'll see a place where you can choose who can see your teen's MySpace profile. If you choose "My Friends Only" then only people on your teen's friends list will be able to view his profile.
This is important for keeping strangers from peeping in on your teen's private conversations and their messages from friends. This is definitely the first privacy setting you should use to keep your teens safe on MySpace.
2. Who Can View Your Teen's Photos?
You don't want just anyone seeing what your teen looks like and seeing all the photos she decides to put up on her MySpace profile. This too can be stopped with a MySpace privacy setting.
In the same "Privacy" tab as the first privacy setting you'll also see an option for photos. Uncheck this option. Having this option checked allows anyone to share and email your photos to other people. You don't want photos of your teen emailed all over the Net, so uncheck this one.
3. Who Can Send Your Teen Messages?
Keep strangers from sending your teen messages on MySpace. It's possible to make sure that only your teen's friends can send them messages, and no one else.
Go to the "Spam" tab in your account settings. The first section on the page is called "Messages". You'll see an option that says "Allow non-friends to send me messages". Make sure that this option is unchecked. This way only friends will be able to send your teen messages.
4. Who Can Ask For a Friend Request?
In the same "Spam" tab you'll also find an option that makes sure that only people your teen knows in real life are added to your teen's friends list. It forces anyone asking for a friend request to give their last name and email address in order for the friend request to go through.
When the friend request comes through and your teen reads it, they can decide if it's someone they actually know, or a stranger. Hopefully they'll just delete friend requests from strangers and keep themselves safe.
5. Who Can Add Comments?
Again we're working in the "Spam" tab. This time we're going to make sure that only your teen's friends can add comments to his comments section on MySpace. You don't want strangers adding comments to your teen's comments section, you never know what they'll post.
Click on the option that says "Only friends can add comments to my blog". This will ensure that only friends, and not strangers can add comments.
6. Who Can Send Invitations?
There are group invitations, event invitations and IM invitations. Keep your teens safe from these by choosing to only allow their friends to invite them. These options are also in the "Spam" tab.
* Safe Surfing! :-) *