Social networking site MySpace has experienced phenomenal growth since it was created in 2003, which has largely been driven by teenagers. Unfortunately, some of these young users are engaging in unsafe Internet behavior, and parents are beginning to wake up to what their children are doing online. This has resulted in some bad PR for MySpace, which boasts over 70 million members, as television and newspaper outlets pick up the story.
MySpace is attempting to create a safer user environment by running PSAs on the site and other Fox Interactive and News Corp-owned sites (MySpace was purchased by News Corp in 2005). Fox Interactive also hired former federal prosecutor Hemanshu (Hemu) Nigam to "oversee safety, education and privacy programs
and law enforcement affairs for MySpace, as well as the growing network
of FIM properties."
It seems to be a sad fact where teenagers gather online, sexual predators will soon follow. While MySpace’s efforts to ensure user safety are a step in the right direction, they’d do better to educate parents, who have the capability to monitor and regulate their children’s activities. From a PR standpoint, however, these recent moves give the company "a leg to stand on," and show they are aware a problem exists and are taking steps to improve.
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