MySpace is a disease

-or- spreading like a cancer

Published on March 17, 2006 By BlueDev In Internet

Yes, you heard me correctly. MySpace is a disease.

And not just a benign disease either. This is a serious, aggerssive, pernicious disease. One that seems hell-bent on taking over the internet. In fact, this vile, filthy, perverted disease has risen to be in the top ten sites globally. Yes, top ten English sites in the world. Like a particularly aggressive cancer, it is consuming all in its path.

Why do I call MySpace a disease? Just go over there and start looking at random sites. Aesthetically they make me want to puke and gouge my eyes out with rusty nails in turns. Cluttered beyond belief with no actual content buried in the dross. Abundant grainy photos that look like they were taken by fatally intoxicated, blind donkeys (no opposable thumbs) adorn most sites. Guys who look like they have glued a pair of pubes on their chin to make them look more manly epitomize the word "poser". Girls apparently striving to be the next big Playboy model toss up "glamour" shots of themselves willy-nilly.

But what concerns me the most are supposedly intelligent, bright people who are jumping on the bandwagon. I have seen a couple of prog metal bands that I really respect pimping their MySpace site. I suppose this just exemplifies the axiom that there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Come on though! Did they actually even check out MySpace before they started their sites? Are these the people you want to attract? I suppose publicity is the key, and with the disturbing growth of MySpace they are sure to get that. But there is just something about MySpace that turns my stomach.

Oh, right, that disease thing.

Comments (Page 3)

highbass

on Mar 19, 2006

this post is cute.. you guys sound like over-protective parents like my mom ... haha ... she can scare me into not doing somthing... maybe thats what you guys should do .. or just sit down and talk to your kids... this kinda stuff will always be coming aruond... either the form of chatting... or now the myspace or hi5 form...

BlueDev

on Mar 20, 2006

you guys sound like over-protective parents like my mom

I am an over-protective parent.

highbass

on Mar 20, 2006

I am an over-protective parent.

i wonder what gave that away

highbass

on Mar 20, 2006

--- err double post on single click ---

Charissa Kaschel

on Mar 20, 2006

hmmm.. interesting. I have a myspace page... and I happen to know that you only need to supply information that you feel comfortable giving. It's as much as any other internet site asks you for, if you want to give more you can, but you don't have to. I personaally don't think that myspace is to blame. I do think that if used incorrectly a lot of damage can be done. BUT, it is the responsibility of the parents of the "minors' using the page incorrectly, not the responsibility of the site or the owners. I keep in touch with old school friends and that's about it. I don't feel the need to "whore" myself out to anyone who wants to be my friend. I am very picky about who my friends are. I don't think myspace is any more of a disease than the internet is itself. Where there is a will there is a way... if a 14 year old wants to find self worth on the internet he/she will. If a sex offender wants to find it's next target, he/she will. Perhaps rather than targeting sites individually, we can just be more aware of where are children are, who they are with, AND what they are doing on the internet. It might require more supervision. BUT, that's our job as parents. I have 4 younger sisters all who like to watch me on the computer. So I have been able to instill in them proper computer etiquette (sp?) rather than how to be a trashy internet slut. My son, he's too small now, but you can bet when he is old enough to play on the internet, I will supervise all activities. It's not the kids, it's the parents.... Myspace is merely an aid or a tool as was said earlier, to an overly eager generation of internet addicts.

Charissa

Digital_Punk

on Mar 20, 2006

I have a myspace myself. Though just to talk to some old freinds and junk.

I do browse around though and see the sluttiest chicks ever lol. Im like dam where can i find them at haha. Then i look again and its a 15 yr old.....

foreverserenity

on Mar 20, 2006

I agree with all about Myspace. I especially agree with Baker with the statement he made, very astute btw! Charissa is also correct, it's up to the parent to monitor their children. I do monitor my daughter, although it's been a while since I've been on her site and this is a reminder for me to do that asap. I know of which you speak Dev, some of the pictures can be really smutty and to think these are young girls. It bothers me that they are not aware of what they are doing and the problems this can cause for themselves. I counsel my daughter and I let her know what's acceptable and what's not and also tell her not to give personal details out. She' got it down pat on what to do and not do, but I try to stay imformed on whats going on.

It's a site that's there to be used by anyone, although it's mostly teen-oriented and it should be better monitored by those in charge. I have one too, but I so rarely use it, and I don't give out the info to anyone because it's for me.

starkers

on Mar 20, 2006

BUT, it is the responsibility of the parents of the "minors' using the page incorrectly, not the responsibility of the site or the owners.

Yes, as parents we have the responsibility of supervising/protecting our children, but at the same time, the owners/admins at MySpace have a responsibility and moral obligation to prevent minors from posting smutty 'come ons' which can make them the targets of predators. If a 14/15 yo girl, in fact any minor posts something of this nature, far too explicit/graphic with regards to their sexuality, real or imagined, it should immediately be removed, no questions asked.
The problem/reality here is that parents cannot possibly supervise their children 24/7, a fact I've rudely been awoken to in recent times, and one that people in positions of responsibility, such as the admins at MySpace, should consider in order to better assist parents in the protection of their kids.
It's all well and good to place the onus on parents, and good parents will implement all the preventitive measures they can to protect their children, but when places such as MySpace continue to make it much simpler and all too easy for kids to behave in undesirable ways on the internet, it defeats the purpose.....everything the parent has done in their childs/childrens better interests has been undermined.
Sure, we can block access to the PC/internet with password protected logons, and yes, we can supervise them to the best of our ability, but distractions occur as a fact of life, and that's all it takes, which is why the onus should also fall on the owners/administrators of such sites to help protect our children.

My 15 yo step-daughter has/had a MySpace account, which began under supervision and innocently enough, but when I discovered she had used a distraction to go behind our backs and secretly add much less desirable content, I immediately (and hopefully) locked her out of it by changing her login details. She has since run away from home and I don't know if she has access to an internet enabled PC, but I'm hoping this will be enough to keep her off it...that MySpace won't allow her to open another account under the same name, etc.....that she doesn't find a way to bypass it all by opening an account using false credentials.

I don't know that MySpace is a disease, but it sure as hell helps to perpetuate and exacerbate an unsavoury culture growing within the teen scene of today. So yeah, I'm totally disgusted by the content being allowed there and will avoid the place like the plague. Gimme WC any day!!!!!

Myrrander

on Mar 21, 2006

mmm the worry of self-promotion...the capitalists get scared of their own philosophies...how amusing...

starkers

on Mar 21, 2006

mmm the worry of self-promotion...the capitalists get scared of their own philosophies...how amusing...

How in the hell is teenage girls flaunting themselves like a whores on the internet amusing? If that's your view, then it's a sick and twisted way of looking at a very disturbing and dangerous trend. It is far removed from amusing!

Furthermore, it's not 'self-promotion' that responsible people/parents are scared of, but rather the manner in which it is done....that young teenagers are parading themselves in a sexually suggestive manner over the internet, and thus, attracting predators who prey on teens and younger to satisfy a sick and twisted perversion. If that's not frightening to you, Myrrander, then there's something seriously wrong.....

Dr Guy

on Mar 21, 2006

Sick em!

starkers

on Mar 21, 2006

Sick em!

Thing is, Dr Guy....this is a most serious issue that can be much closer to home than many might supect expect. My reasonably behaved 15 yo step-daughter became a victim to the filthy wiles of a 28 yo man who eventually managed to persuade her to run away from home to be with him, so it's an issue much closer to my heart than I'd like it to be.

Worse still, we cannot get the authorities to act against this most inappropriate relationship (no thanks to insane child emanipation laws)...not unless she makes the complaint against him herself....which isn't likely since she's been manipulated and brainwashed into thinking it's what she wants. It infuriates me that the relevant authorities are aware it is a sexual relationship (being she's 3 months pregnant), but are still prepared to stand by and do nothing about it, despite having more than enough evidence to prosecute. It makes a complete mockery of the 'age of consent laws'....the slimy piece of excrement is guilty of statutory rape but continues to walk free in the absence of a formal complaint from her. It's F*#%*ng ludicrous and the reason sites like MySpace feel they have a mandate to allow minors to post inappropriate information/details

Seems to me, legislation these days is drafted specifically to enable bureaucrats and police to do the least possible in the interests of public service and safety. If there's no revenue in it for the government, there's no action, it seems....and this blatant laxity of our elected leaders, thus their subordinates, has enabled predators and sites like MySpace to become more bold/open with regards to child exploitation/promoting and encouraging adolescent sexuality, etc.

To be blunt, I'm sick and tired of hearing it's up to the parents....we did our best to supervise and protect our daughter, but received no support whatsoever from the authorities when it was most needed. In fact, we were threatened with criminal charges for physically trying to prevent her taking off to be with the vile mongrel, such is the insanity of current laws regarding the 'rights' of children. So when I see sites like MySpace taking advantage of the laxity created by these p!ss weak politicians, thus allowing children to virtually prostitute themselves to the world, it sickens me to the core.

Charissa Kaschel

on Mar 21, 2006

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. It's unfortunate that circumstances like that occur and I realize that they can be very damaging. I guess I would say that no, the owners of the site don't always show the best discresion. My sisters go to a charter school and they actually sent a memo home warning the parents about Myspace and the effect it was having. Perhaps because I am an adult., my view of myspace is different because I am not as easily swayed as someone under the age of 18 is and I am able to make decision and then am subject to the consequences of my actions. .

I wonder though, since you're daughter is 15 and not currently emancipated why it is that you have no rights. It was my understanding that statutory rape applied to minors under 17 consenting or not. AND because she is under 16 I do belive it is against the law for her to run away ( my sister is 14 and when she runs away we call the police and they pick her up because it is against the law for her to run away and she then is subject to whether or not we chose to take further action) so I think that's another angle you could persue. Iknow it might not be as pleasant, but it would have your daughters best interestt in mind even though she may hate you.

starkers

on Mar 22, 2006

I wonder though, since you're daughter is 15 and not currently emancipated why it is that you have no rights. It was my understanding that statutory rape applied to minors under 17 consenting or not. AND because she is under 16 I do belive it is against the law for her to run away

The reason for our difficulties is that we have a pathetic government and a complete imbecile posing as Minister for Child and Family Services. It is his legislation that allows kids as young as 10 to leave home without a legitimate reason....and HIS department which assists them to do as they please, when they please. Since our trials and tribulations began, we have met with a number of parents facing similar crises....one couple, in particular, have an 11 yo runaway who is pregnant to a 37 yo, yet they cannot get the authorities to act in her better interests.

As for the age of consent being 17, I too believed it is statutory rape whether consentual or not, but the police and child protection authorities repeatedly tell us that they cannot and will not act without a formal complaint from her....despite having 'casual' admissions from her and more enough evidence to prosecute. Same with the 11 yo....she thinks she loves the mongrel 37 yo and won't press charges, so he walks free from a very serious crime. To be quite blunt, there's no point to age of consent laws if the authorities aren't prepared to enforce then...in every instance.

This is how stupid things have become here: the department is providing the 11 yo with information on pregnancy and parenting....also to the 37 yo father, which to me, condones adult sex with minors and says it's okay for babies to have babies. It's clearly sending the wrong message, not just to them, but to paedophiles all over. It's no wonder they've become more brazen and open about it...instances like these suggest they've no longer anything to fear. And then we've got places like MySpace providing them with an online catalogue to a greater number of victims.

What makes our situation all the more infuriating, is that the measures we ask of the authorities to protect our daughter, and are given p!ss weak excuses as to why not, still exist within the current framework of our laws....but as a department insider explained: the government believes it has no legal/moral obligation to act while we are still her legal guardians and thus liable, despite its laws largely stripping us of our parental authority, rights and responsibilities. However, when the boot is on the other foot and she becomes a Ward of State, the measures we've been asking for become possible because the State then is liable.

It's not what we want, but our hand has been forced to have the courts to transfer guardianship. Our lawyer advises that State Law dictates that she must have a legal guardian until 18, and has applied for a Care and Protection Order which forces the State to assume the responsibility it previously refused to accept, yet denied to us. Yeah, she may hate us for it, but that's the least of our worries/concerns right now...she'll eventually grow out of it and become a better person in the long term

Andrew Powell

on Mar 22, 2006

Myspace is like any other website out there. It's a decent tool for doing what it was intended for. If you read up on the history of the website, it was concieved to promote local L.A. bands. With the addition of profiles and blogs it pretty much exploded. And like any website, including this one, if it is abused, it becomes a problem.

I've been on that site now for about a year and I can say with all honesty that I've run across some pretty crazy things on there. But I've also made some connections with people in my area that have turned out to be very cool people, some of which I hang with on a weekly basis now.

As for the '15 year old whores' comments, consider this; If they don't have an outlet for the attention and what they are putting up on the web, where else are they going to vent these needs for attention? I speak from a relative amount of experience, as my sister rebelled very outwardly in highschool, effectively driving my parents insane.

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