by Connie Rose

Created on: July 04, 2007

I am a My Space addict. Am I a teen? No, I am a Mother of 3, 44 years old and communicate with most of my friends and family on My Space. So what's the big deal you ask?

Since My Space was founded in the summer of 2003, by Tom Anderson and Chris De Wolfe, more than a million teens, adults, musicians and even actors have joined this most controversial website.

In recent years it has been under scrutiny for its ease of access for children and pedophiles. More and more lawsuits are flowing in suing My Space for the misuse of its website. Last year a Texas teen Mother filed a claim after the girl had been sexually assaulted by a man who had lied about his age to contact the girl and meet her in person. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed due to My Space being protected under the Communication Decency Act, and because the girl lied about her own age and consented to have sex.

I am not saying that what this person did was right. Too many parents are blaming the website solely and not facing the reality of keeping watch over their children. There are things a parent can do to protect their children. Just like ratings on video games, movies, and what music you allow your children to listen to, you are in control.

Parents have got to start taking some responsibility for their children. If you know your child has a My Space, monitor it. Know their password. Keep track of their friends and who they add. Only allow them to add friends that you know. Make sure their profile is set to private. Do not allow your children to post revealing pictures that make them look 20.

If someone with the name "I want to suck your neck" wants to be your friend, don't add them. This tells you that this person is most definitely not right in the head and is just looking for trouble.

Try it out for yourself. It's a great place and you can add your children. I find this to be another good way to keep check.

Let's give My Space a chance. It's not to change the way of the site, but the way of the laws. A registered sex offender should not even be allowed access to a computer. There needs to be stricter penalties, longer jail sentences and more neighborhood watches and parents and teachers alike to watch out for our kids. They just want to be kids, teens. Don't let these nasty little pedophiles ruin everything that comes along for them.

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