This article appeared in today's Philadelphia, Inquirer, "Teen Web Networks" by Oliver Pritchard. I urge every parent to read it.

Teens Internet

Most teens are good kids, but even the best of kids can be tempted to go a step further, and a step further, and a step further, because it all seems like fun, and heck, the person at the other end is another teenager, and no-one will ever know, and I can control everything, and ... and ... and ... As parents, we have to protect our kids, often from themselves (BTDT, thank you, and it is a hard and often thankless job).

Here is some advice from the article on how to monitor your child's internet page on some of the free space services out there:

"Monitoring Your Child's Page

Does your child have a page on an online social network?

Parents who don't know the answer need to ask now - and ask to see it.

That's the advice of lawyer Parry Aftab, an expert on Internet security and founder of WiredSafety.org, a group that monitors online abuses.

"While your kids may know more than you do about technology," Aftab says, "you know more about life. And you are allowed to set the rules."

Host sites differ in the way they allow users to enter and browse.

But parents who want to see their child's page for themselves are able to investigate.

On MySpace.com, for instance, they can create their own user profile, then enter the child's e-mail address, IM name or school.

Parents also can have their child's page removed, Aftab says, by contacting the sites or WiredSafety.org."

By Karen~moderator on Sunday, December 11, 2005 - 01:50 pm:

Great info, Ginny. Never too many reminders of the dangers of the internet where kids are concerned.

By Mommmie on Sunday, December 11, 2005 - 03:02 pm:

The younger kids use xanga.com and you can do searches on that one by school or area.

By Ilovetom on Monday, December 12, 2005 - 07:44 am:

My girls had xanga. It was just their basic everyday life.

NOW! They have high school facebook.

?

By Bobbie~moderatr on Monday, December 12, 2005 - 08:34 am:

Callie has a Xanga... and actually I read it. She knows I do and she is fine with that. She only responds to people she knows and she doesn't put "personal" info on it. Phone numbers for example. Just general information. Like I have an exam.. My friends are retarded. When she said she wanted one, I told her that was fine and I listed a bunch of buts that would go along with it. I also informed her that I would be reading it, at which she replied, I want you too. The Xanga has actually opened up a mess load of discussions with us too. Because we read her friends Xanga's and we discuss some of the issues they have been having.. etc.. The world wide web is a scary place....

By Dawnk777 on Monday, December 12, 2005 - 02:25 pm:

Sarah has a myspace and I don't have a problem with what she has on it. I have looked at it, too.