MySpace Amber Alerts

Speaking of MySpace, as we sorta did earlier today, this one is all over the Web: the popular social networking site is clamping down on freaks:

MySpace, News Corp.'s social- networking Web site, tightened its rules to deter predators and started to distribute Amber alerts for missing children.
The Web site will block users over 18 from contacting users under that age and will limit instant messaging to users listed on each person's friend list, MySpace said today in a statement.

I realize I'm going to sound negative here, when this sort of news should be viewed as a big positive. However:

1) Let's say I wanted to pick up jail bait, hypothetically speaking. What's going to stop me from lying about my age on the MySpace site? Anyone?

2) So let me get this straight. After I've lied about my age, and lured some poor kid off the Internet into my torture chamber of horrors (complete with a DVD copy of Ishtar), MySpace will broadcast the fact that the kid has gone missing to your city's users. After the fact, of course, but we're not into Minority Report territory yet, I guess.

How much good will that really do? Especially if the kid doesn't tell anyone what they're up to.

I'm glad MySpace is being proactive and is sorta trying to do something to counter some bad publicity on their end. Honestly, though, the solution to this kind of problem really starts at home. Put the computer in a public, high traffic area of the house. Educate your kid about the evil white van going around the 'hood.

I can't really take this news that seriously, I'm afraid. I really don't know if it will do an iota of serious good.

I hope I'm wrong.

I really do.

Image Credit: [CBC]

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MySpace Amber Alerts

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