[Angelia]

my daughter is 14 was making a webpage on my space.com she's only 14.i was wanting to find out how safe this is.i can't seem to enter her page cause it's pass word protected.i don't want to be mean and tell her it's something she can't do but i don't know how safe it is.she's only 14 and no matter what she says i know she chats with people she doesn't know and all the perverts out there.and feel she's really be put out there with this site especially for people looking for young girls.i thought to let her keep it but only if she gives me the password and lets me have access to it

[Advertisements]

I understand and empathize with you, but we can't do that. Against our site policy.

Here is something I was sent yesterday by US-CERT, a government organization.

Cyber Security Tip ST06-003
Staying Safe on Social Network Sites

The popularity of social networking sites continues to increase,
especially among teenagers and young adults. The nature of these sites
introduces security risks, so you should take certain precautions.

What are social networking sites?

Social networking sites, sometimes referred to as "friend-of-a-friend"
sites, build upon the concept of traditional social networks where you
are connected to new people through people you already know. The
purpose of some networking sites may be purely social, allowing users
to establish friendships or romantic relationships, while others may
focus on establishing business connections.

Although the features of social networking sites differ, they all
allow you to provide information about yourself and offer some type of
communication mechanism (forums, chat rooms, email, instant messenger)
that enables you to connect with other users. On some sites, you can
browse for people based on certain criteria, while other sites require
that you be "introduced" to new people through a connection you share.
Many of the sites have communities or subgroups that may be based on a
particular interest.

What security implications do these sites present?

Social networking sites rely on connections and communication, so they
encourage you to provide a certain amount of personal information.
When deciding how much information to reveal, people may not exercise
the same amount of caution as they would when meeting someone in
person because
* the internet provides a sense of anonymity
* the lack of physical interaction provides a false sense of
security
* they tailor the information for their friends to read, forgetting
that others may see it
* they want to offer insights to impress potential friends or
associates

While the majority of people using these sites do not pose a threat,
malicious people may be drawn to them because of the accessibility and
amount of personal information available on them. The more information
malicious people have about you, the easier it is for them to take
advantage of you. Predators may form relationships online and then
convince unsuspecting individuals to meet them in person. That could
lead to a dangerous situation. The personal information can also be
used to conduct a social engineering attack (see Avoiding Social
Engineering and Phishing Attacks for more information). Using
information that you provide about your location, hobbies, interests,
and friends, a malicious person could impersonate a trusted friend or
convince you that they have the authority to access other personal or
financial data.

How can you protect yourself?

* Limit the amount of personal information you post - Do not post
information that would make you vulnerable (e.g., your address,
information about your schedule or routine). If your connections
post information about you, make sure the combined information is
not more than you would be comfortable with strangers knowing.
* Remember that the internet is a public resource - Only post
information you are comfortable with anyone seeing. This includes
information in your profile and in blogs and other forums. Also,
once you post information online, you can't retract it. Even if
you remove the information from a site, saved or cached versions
may still exist on other people's machines (see Guidelines for
Publishing Information Online for more information).
* Be wary of strangers - The internet makes it easy for people to
misrepresent their identities and motives (see Using Instant
Messaging and Chat Rooms Safely for more information). Consider
limiting the people who are allowed to contact you on these sites.
If you interact with people you do not know, be cautious about the
amount of information you reveal or agreeing to meet them in
person.
* Be skeptical - Don't believe everything you read online. People
may post false or misleading information about various topics,
including their own identities. This is not necessarily done with
malicious intent; it could be unintentional, a product of
exaggeration, or a joke. Take appropriate precautions, thought,
and try to verify the authenticity of any information before taken
any action.
* Check privacy policies - Some sites may share information such as
email addresses or user preferences with other companies. This may
lead to an increase in spam (see Reducing Spam for more
information). Also, try to locate the policy for handling
referrals to make sure that you do not unintentionally sign your
friends up for spam. Some sites will continue to send email
messages to anyone you refer until they join.

Children are especially susceptible to the threats that social
networking sites present. Although many of these sites have age
restrictions, children may misrepresent their ages so that they can
join. By teaching children about internet safety, being aware of their
online habits, and guiding them to appropriate sites, parents can make
sure that the children become safe and responsible users (see Keeping
Children Safe Online for more information).
_________________________________________________________________

Author: Mindi McDowell
_________________________________________________________________

Produced 2006 by US-CERT, a government organization.

Terms of use

<http://www.us-cert.gov/legal.html>

This document can also be found at

<http://www.us-cert.g.../ST06-003.html>


For instructions on subscribing to or unsubscribing from this
mailing list, visit <http://www.us-cert.g...s/signup.html>.

[coachwife6]

I understand and empathize with you, but we can't do that. Against our site policy.

Here is something I was sent yesterday by US-CERT, a government organization.

Cyber Security Tip ST06-003
Staying Safe on Social Network Sites

The popularity of social networking sites continues to increase,
especially among teenagers and young adults. The nature of these sites
introduces security risks, so you should take certain precautions.

What are social networking sites?

Social networking sites, sometimes referred to as "friend-of-a-friend"
sites, build upon the concept of traditional social networks where you
are connected to new people through people you already know. The
purpose of some networking sites may be purely social, allowing users
to establish friendships or romantic relationships, while others may
focus on establishing business connections.

Although the features of social networking sites differ, they all
allow you to provide information about yourself and offer some type of
communication mechanism (forums, chat rooms, email, instant messenger)
that enables you to connect with other users. On some sites, you can
browse for people based on certain criteria, while other sites require
that you be "introduced" to new people through a connection you share.
Many of the sites have communities or subgroups that may be based on a
particular interest.

What security implications do these sites present?

Social networking sites rely on connections and communication, so they
encourage you to provide a certain amount of personal information.
When deciding how much information to reveal, people may not exercise
the same amount of caution as they would when meeting someone in
person because
* the internet provides a sense of anonymity
* the lack of physical interaction provides a false sense of
security
* they tailor the information for their friends to read, forgetting
that others may see it
* they want to offer insights to impress potential friends or
associates

While the majority of people using these sites do not pose a threat,
malicious people may be drawn to them because of the accessibility and
amount of personal information available on them. The more information
malicious people have about you, the easier it is for them to take
advantage of you. Predators may form relationships online and then
convince unsuspecting individuals to meet them in person. That could
lead to a dangerous situation. The personal information can also be
used to conduct a social engineering attack (see Avoiding Social
Engineering and Phishing Attacks for more information). Using
information that you provide about your location, hobbies, interests,
and friends, a malicious person could impersonate a trusted friend or
convince you that they have the authority to access other personal or
financial data.

How can you protect yourself?

* Limit the amount of personal information you post - Do not post
information that would make you vulnerable (e.g., your address,
information about your schedule or routine). If your connections
post information about you, make sure the combined information is
not more than you would be comfortable with strangers knowing.
* Remember that the internet is a public resource - Only post
information you are comfortable with anyone seeing. This includes
information in your profile and in blogs and other forums. Also,
once you post information online, you can't retract it. Even if
you remove the information from a site, saved or cached versions
may still exist on other people's machines (see Guidelines for
Publishing Information Online for more information).
* Be wary of strangers - The internet makes it easy for people to
misrepresent their identities and motives (see Using Instant
Messaging and Chat Rooms Safely for more information). Consider
limiting the people who are allowed to contact you on these sites.
If you interact with people you do not know, be cautious about the
amount of information you reveal or agreeing to meet them in
person.
* Be skeptical - Don't believe everything you read online. People
may post false or misleading information about various topics,
including their own identities. This is not necessarily done with
malicious intent; it could be unintentional, a product of
exaggeration, or a joke. Take appropriate precautions, thought,
and try to verify the authenticity of any information before taken
any action.
* Check privacy policies - Some sites may share information such as
email addresses or user preferences with other companies. This may
lead to an increase in spam (see Reducing Spam for more
information). Also, try to locate the policy for handling
referrals to make sure that you do not unintentionally sign your
friends up for spam. Some sites will continue to send email
messages to anyone you refer until they join.

Children are especially susceptible to the threats that social
networking sites present. Although many of these sites have age
restrictions, children may misrepresent their ages so that they can
join. By teaching children about internet safety, being aware of their
online habits, and guiding them to appropriate sites, parents can make
sure that the children become safe and responsible users (see Keeping
Children Safe Online for more information).
_________________________________________________________________

Author: Mindi McDowell
_________________________________________________________________

Produced 2006 by US-CERT, a government organization.

Terms of use

<http://www.us-cert.gov/legal.html>

This document can also be found at

<http://www.us-cert.g.../ST06-003.html>


For instructions on subscribing to or unsubscribing from this
mailing list, visit <http://www.us-cert.g...s/signup.html>.

[Angelia]

thanks for info greatly appreciated i'm sorry to have posted something wasn't suppose to.i'm going to continue researching.

[TaNkZ101]

i don't think u should worry so much.

[dsenette]

was wanting to find out how safe this is.i can't seem to enter her page cause it's pass word protected.i don't want to be mean and tell her it's something she can't do but i don't know how safe it is

first off...it's your computer right? you paid for it right? let alone the fact that she's the child....any person that is allowed to use YOUR computer must abide by YOUR rules when on that computer...or else their usage get's revoked...a 14 year old should have NOTHING password protected without letting the parent have that password and have access to the files that are protected by it...plain and simple...if they want something secret....buy them a diary with a padlock on it...
it's your job as a parent to protect your child...therefore you have the RIGHT to take every step neccessary to know what they are doing (obviously...you need to do this in a way that doesn't alienate the child)...simply tell her your concerns and that if she isn't willing to allow you to have the password then she's not allowed to have a myspace site..plain and simple...

i don't think u should worry so much.

i'm gonna assume that you're a child...not a parent...so...in light of that...don't post things like this again...it's extremely rude

[Angelia]

thanks so much for your reply i have decided it is something i will let her explore but only with the condition that i can view her web page anytime i want to to see who shes chatting with and whats being said.it also has me concerned just reviewed her yahoo mail and she has named the web page sexypplzonly i don't want to alienate her but if it means shes a little safer in this world i'm willing to do that.i was feeling that maybe i was being selfish and to strict on her till i read your reply.it's my job to protect her and thats what i'm trying to do in a world where she has no idea what evil waits around every corner.THANKS SO MUCH DESENETTE.

[dsenette]

all children get angry with their parents because they feel like they aren't getting enough freedom or that their privacy is being intruded upon...(especially at 14 when you're a girl)...what children don't understand is that freedom and privacy come with maturity and trust...maturity comes from knowledge and experience (neither of which a 14 year old has) and trust comes from maturity and openness with those who you want to trust you.... it's a fact of life...all parents are overbearing ogres who just want to make your life hard and un-fun... in time she'll realize that everything you've done was only to make her life better and safer... as far as

sexypplzonly

is concerned..i'd never let a 14 year old have anything with a name like that...it's like letting her go outside in a miniskirt and a tubetop with no bra....just asking for trouble

[Angelia]

YOUR RIGHT I KNOW NOW WHY SHE WOULDN'T SHOW ME HER SITE LAST NIGHT

[TaNkZ101]

i'm gonna assume that you're a child...not a parent...so...in light of that...don't post things like this again...it's extremely rude

i'm neither. i've been neighbours and good friends with the creator for almost 20 years and i know the site almost as well as him and i know about almost all security risks.

anyway i'm glad that you did find out what was going on and this problem (as far as the security risk) is probably over.

Edited by TaNkZ101, 30 March 2006 - 02:04 PM.

[dsenette]

she's not worried about any kind of virus risks..she's worried about the safety of her child....if her kid starts posting lude pictures of herself..or gives out her address and phone number on the site...i doubt myspace would have an issue with it (unless it was nude pictures as that would be illegal)...

[Certifiably Blonde]

I have a 14 year old daughter too scangelia and I AGREE with the squishy one wholeheartedly.

There was an article and a CNN expose re: the safety of children from predators and the site in question was "My Space" and is committment to security. Hopefully now that they have got the negative attention, something will be done.

As far as chatrooms etc....you can block them from her computer accessing them. There are also "babysitting" type programs you can get to make sure your child is where you want her to be. If she doesnt abide by your safety rules...pull the net. In either case they hate ya at times...get used to it...its normal teenager behaviour...join the club!!! lol

[Namingishard]

Hmm, im not a parent but ill give my input (if your wondering im 17)
anyways,
There has been a few teenage girls explotied by-through myspace but those girls were 18-20 and small in numbers, atleast the ones iv heard of,
I think you SHOULD review her profile on a anual bases, i don't see the bad, and see alot of good,
Well...she'll get mad but when arn't 14 year old girls mad at something.

[Major Payne]

Personally I would not deal with MySpace.com at all. You might want to read this which concerns Yahoo and click fraud, but MySpace is included in there too.

Intermix, the parent of MySpace, is now owned by News Corp. Intermix has been implicated in spyware schemes in the past, when the company was investigated by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's office before News Corp purchased it.

Link is:

Yahoo Implicated... at WebProWorld.com

Ron

[pedrossi]

I think you shouldn't be too strict on your daughter. I'm a parent so I know what it's like, but you just have to let her have some freedom.
I had this trouble with my daughter about myspace before. We agreed that I'd let her have a myspace as long as she didn't put certain personal information up and didn't tell it to anyone, and that I could view her profile whenever I wanted to. Also, we agreed that she would make her profile PRIVATE. This means only her friends can view her profile, and anyone else won't be able to access her information or see her pictures.
I suggest you talk to her about making her profile private, it does make it a lot safer.

And as for the name sexypplzonly, I wouldn't worry about it too much, it's just a name... if you want to shield her from anythign sex-related then unplug her TV and don't let her read anything other than the Bible.

Just my 2 cents.

[IshmaelVignsten]

about the myspace page it's quite easy to find out what kind of people she is talking to all you have to do is create your own myspace account (just go to www.myspace.com and click signup) then find out what her myspace is called, it will be www.myspace.com/herMyspaceNameHere if you do that you can view the pictures that she is sharing read the comments other people have made about her and view the people she has as friends

i'm 18 and used to chat a lot and agree that your children should be protected but tell a child they cant do it and they will go out and do it just to spite you so tread lightly

good luck



(i hope this isnt agains forum rules ...if it is feel free to remove it