(Self) Policing MySpace

Update to Socializing for Money

Today, News Corporation is expected to name a security czar to supervise child safety measures on MySpace, the online social networking site.  Further details on the move are available in a Reuters article on washingtonpost.com.

The addition of a safety czar to the MySpace staff is certainly meant to address concerns about the site raised by parents, politicians, and legal authorities; however, it can’t hurt that improving MySpace’s image will make it more attractive for commercial use.

Comments

[Aaron Spence]

It's intersting to note that the Reuters article quotes one expert--and father of a teenage daughter--as saying that the security on the MySpace site is adequate. Although I agree with his premise that the site simply has too many users to provide more than passable security, I do hope users--both those interested in the commercial aspects of these sites and those who use these sites for social networking--are at least wary of the current levels of security. Requiring users to be older than, say, 14 without requiring any legitimate proof of age may not be the most effective limiting tool. I myself have a MySpace site, although readers might be interested to note that I did not create the site; it was created for me by a presumably bored teenager (I am a high school principal). If this can happen, who's to say that the "cool new friend" your son or daughter has made online and with whom they have shared personal information (photos, numbers, email, etc.) is not a cyber predator? These are real concerns and I believe there are eCommerce implications for those using these sites to promote their products, particularly if the backlash against sites such as MySpace continues.

[Jonathan Frieden]

I agree and I think News Corp. understands the effect the backlash will have on their ability to generate a profit from the MySpace asset.

See my post at http://ecommercelaw.typepad.com/ecommerce_law/2006/04/myspace_safety_.html