# Tell me about MySpace **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 26, 2006, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283 "2006-08-26T02:47:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/1 "2006-08-26T02:47:36Z")
I never even heard of MySpace until I started working as a public librarian. I must get a dozen request a day to override the filtering software on the public computers so the user can access MySpace. (Yes, you read that right. All social-networking sites are blocked by our filtering software, to prevent pedophiles from using them to troll for victims. At our library, you can only get the block overridden if you’re over 17, with ID. Issue discussed in [url=http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=372328]this\*\* GD thread.) Anyway, it makes me think I ought to try it, but can somebody tell me what to expect and what to look for? ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/2 "2006-08-26T03:03:58Z")
Wait…you block social networking sites to prevent pedophiles from trolling…unless they can prove they’re over 17? 😕 How does being over 17 prove they’re not pedophiles? Aren’t _most_ pedophiles adults? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/3 "2006-08-26T03:16:19Z")
[Fixed link.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=372328) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/4 "2006-08-26T03:18:00Z")
> [@Licentious Ectomorph](#): > > Wait…you block social networking sites to prevent pedophiles from trolling…unless they can prove they’re over 17? 😕 > > How does being over 17 prove they’re not pedophiles? Aren’t _most_ pedophiles adults? More to the point, we keep the under-17s off the site to protect them from being trolled. If they have computers at home, nothing we can do about that. I think it’s a dumb policy too, but apparently it actually happens sometimes. Not as often as you’d think from watching _Law & Order: SVU,_ but sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Gaucho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea5d25/32.png) [@El\_Gaucho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Gaucho)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/5 "2006-08-26T03:35:18Z")
I think myspace is a pretty funny space. While intentionaly not joining, I’ve heard many comments. Some say: “it’s a good place to advertise your ideas to a younger audience!” Others: “It made it too easy for my ex-girlfriends to find me” And: “Wow, an easy way to make web-page to put on my card. Want to link to me?” And: “just f—ing had to. God damn. after all the money i spent getting a web-designer. People would rather see a myspace profile.” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/6 "2006-08-26T03:37:09Z")
> [@El Gaucho](#): > > And: “just f—ing had to. God damn. after all the money i spent getting a web-designer. People would rather see a myspace profile.” :eek: And this makes me weep for the Internet 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/7 "2006-08-26T03:43:16Z")
I only know about it from trying to find out about it myself because I was curious from the buzz. From my view, I am less than impressed but I am outside of their demographic. It seems like a version of what AOL used to be retooled for the young social demographic. That is, it is an kind of web within the web that makes it easy to do apparently what a lot of people want to do (meet friends, throw up retarded websites, click to find out about the latest music etc.) There is nothing new or even impressive about what they do from a technical perspective but it is hitting the right notes for younger people. I shouldn’t talk. I often spend hours a week posting to an old-school message board devoted to a single weekly column that runs in some alternative newspapers only found in some cities. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/8 "2006-08-26T05:47:06Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I shouldn’t talk. I often spend hours a week posting to an old-school message board devoted to a single weekly column that runs in some alternative newspapers only found in some cities. Sounds like you’ve got a real problem there…a sickness, even. . . . Oh wait! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/9 "2006-08-26T14:27:27Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I shouldn’t talk. I often spend hours a week posting to an old-school message board devoted to a single weekly column that runs in some alternative newspapers only found in some cities. Just how old **is** this “old-school” board? Does it date from 2000? 1999? We’re now living in a state of perpetual future shock . . . ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/10 "2006-08-26T15:36:55Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > More to the point, we keep the under-17s off the site to protect them from being trolled. > > If they have computers at home, nothing we can do about that. > > I think it’s a dumb policy too, but apparently it actually happens sometimes. Not as often as you’d think from watching _Law & Order: SVU,_ but sometimes. About 3% of the time, according to a recent article, which is quite high, when you think about it. It’s not so much the size of the threat, but the fact that teens a such dumbfucks when it comes to knowing what to do, and a lot of their parents are even worse, as a [survey by Cox Communications](http://www.cox.com/takeCharge/survey_results.asp) of teens’ experience online this past May shows: > [@](#): > > When teens receive messages online from someone they don’t know, 40% usually reply to and chat with that person. > . > . > . > 45% have been asked for personal information by someone they don’t know. > . > . > . > One out of five teens reported that it is safe (i.e. “somewhat” or “very safe”) to share personal information on a public blog or networking site. > . > . > . > As well, 37% of 13- to 17-year-olds said they’re “not very concerned” or “not at all concerned” about someone using personal information they’ve posted online in ways they haven’t approved. > . > . > . > 14% have actually met face-to-face with a person they had known only through the Internet (9% of 13- to 15-year-olds and 22% of 16- to 17-year-olds). > . > . > . > Only 18% said they tell a parent or guardian that they received a message from someone they don’t know. > . > . > . > Fully 22% of those surveyed reported their parents or guardians have never discussed Internet safety with them. So let’s say a thousand 13-15 year olds go online. 90 of them will meet with someone they only know from online. If 2-3 of them ran afoul of a pedophile, and it could be shown the contact was made on a computer at your library, how fast would the parents sue the library? ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/11 "2006-08-26T15:40:58Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Just how old **is** this “old-school” board? Does it date from 2000? 1999? ummm…I think **shagnasty** is referring to a message board that used to be free, but now costs $14.85 a year, and apparently has something to do with non-crooked drugs or somethin’… ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/12 "2006-08-26T15:50:02Z")
actually, what I don’t get about Myspace is why it suddenly zoomed into public awareness. Teenagers have had personal web pages ever since Yahoo Geocities in 1995 or so. What’s the difference? ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/13 "2006-08-27T22:19:08Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > actually, what I don’t get about Myspace is why it suddenly zoomed into public awareness. > Teenagers have had personal web pages ever since Yahoo Geocities in 1995 or so. What’s the difference? It allows you to network with your friends and then meet their friends’ friends and then their friends’ friends. I first heard about it as an alternative to Friendster, which is all about networking. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/14 "2006-08-27T22:37:15Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > actually, what I don’t get about Myspace is why it suddenly zoomed into public awareness. > Teenagers have had personal web pages ever since Yahoo Geocities in 1995 or so. What’s the difference? Myspace has become prominent because it has become popular, in the way that eBay, Google, Amazon etc. have done in the past. _Why_ is has become so popular is a different question, although certainly it’s a valid one. IMO, it’s because it functions on a level which is both rigid and logical (and therefore clear), such as with the ‘friends’ system, and also flexible (within boundaries), hence the hideous pages which many people don’t actually have a problem with. You can make a Myspace page look like anything, but it will always primarily function as a place to contact people you know or don’t yet know. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/15 "2006-08-27T22:39:22Z")
I admit I’m a MySpacer. I originally joined because a band I liked made themselves a page there, and asked all of us from their message board to join and add them and get the word out. I think this particular band sort of started the whole MySpace music thing, as this was a few years ago. I don’t use it much, just keep it around to keep in touch with people from high school that aren’t on Facebook, and to keep in touch with all the awesome people and bands I met through aforementioned band. I don’t add people I don’t know and don’t use it to chat with people I don’t know. Unless you’re looking to meet people that post idiotic, pointless, misspelled bulletins for their friends, beg people to comment on their pictures, or feel the need to cram their pages with so much crap that it crashes your computer, don’t bother. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/16 "2006-08-27T22:48:01Z")
> [@myskepticsight](#): > > Unless you’re looking to meet people that post idiotic, pointless, misspelled bulletins for their friends, beg people to comment on their pictures, or feel the need to cram their pages with so much crap that it crashes your computer, don’t bother. Some of us use it to find a lot of music we wouldn’t find any other way. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/17 "2006-08-27T22:50:38Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Some of us use it to find a lot of music we wouldn’t find any other way. True. I didn’t mention that because I am sick to death of bands messaging me and trying to add me EVERY DAY. And they obviously don’t look at my profile first because I clearly state the sort of music I like, and I have a note that says “Bands do not add me, if I like you, I’ll add you.” I get all kinds of bands that are nothing like any of the genres I like trying to add me, and when I do listen to them, they suck, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/18 "2006-08-27T22:57:18Z")
> [@myskepticsight](#): > > I didn’t mention that because I am sick to death of bands messaging me and trying to add me EVERY DAY. Understandable [qutoe]And they obviously don’t look at my profile first [/quote] How else would they get 18000 friends?! > [@](#): > > I clearly state the sort of music I like, and I have a note that says “Bands do not add me, if I like you, I’ll add you.” This is where we differ. I dislike seeing things like that in profiles - rather like my irrational irritation in seeing signs on peoples’ letterboxes saying “no free newspapers”. Anyway, if they’re not reading your profile, then surely there’s no point having such a message there? (Actually, I wonder why I have so few requests from bands, especially given the friends I have listed) ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/19 "2006-08-27T23:00:07Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Understandable > > [qutoe]And they obviously don’t look at my profile first How else would they get 18000 friends?! This is where we differ. I dislike seeing things like that in profiles - rather like my irrational irritation in seeing signs on peoples’ letterboxes saying “no free newspapers”. Anyway, if they’re not reading your profile, then surely there’s no point having such a message there? (Actually, I wonder why I have so few requests from bands, especially given the friends I have listed) [/QUOTE] I wrote that in hopes that some bands at least glance at the profile…but it hasn’t worked so far. And I see nothing wrong with that message - if bands actually did read profiles, they could actually find people who might be open to their music and listen to it, rather than mass adding people and hoping they will be added. A lot of those people won’t end up being fans, so what is the point? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283/20 "2006-08-27T23:03:31Z")
> [@myskepticsight](#): > > And I see nothing wrong with that message - if bands actually did read profiles, they could actually find people who might be open to their music and listen to it, rather than mass adding people and hoping they will be added. A lot of those people won’t end up being fans, so what is the point? They lose nothing by firing out friends requests to everyone and everything, which they can do much faster than reading pages, looking for such messages. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-myspace/370283.md?page=2)