From TechnologyReview.com:

The popular online hangout MySpace.com has been quietly developing software designed to give parents the bare-bones of what their kids are doing on the site.

The tool, which will alert parents of the username, age and location a child lists on personal MySpace pages known as profiles, is designed to spark conversations about Internet safety.

But it is also meant to give kids enough room to maneuver lest they flee to rival social-networking sites such as Facebook or Xanga. Unlike third-party monitoring software available for sale, the free MySpace tool won’t let parents see their kids’ password-protected profiles or any communications they have with friends.

It’s progress - but I don’t think it’s sufficient. Parents should be able to see their childrens’ profiles and communications. Parents do this in real life and need to do it in virtual life to protect their children from predators.

For a funny/sad example of what can happen when children aren’t monitored properly, read My Son Is A Moron… He Did Not Come From My Loins…

Tags: myspace, parental guidance, kid profile, predator, prevention