Should I let my son have a myspace?

My 12 year old son wants a myspace very bad. I refuse. His internet activities are closely watched and he has several limitations. Sometimes I have to overide just so he can get into sites with game code cheats. He is blocked from ALL live chat. I would...

not even let him get an account here. Any questions he has, he can ask me. He asks me every other day to let him have a myspace account and tells me I can check it, I can have his password, he won't use bad language, etc. I answer him with, "That discussion has been closed." So what do you think? Should I allow him on a trial basis or stand my ground?

I have had a myspace for about 4 years. it is a fun site, a place to meet people, but safety terms and other things of that origin are guarded closely. I think that your son probably just wants a little freedom, and, with all due respect, probably needs some.

This is copied directly from the myspace terms of service:

Eligibility. Use of and Membership in the MySpace Services is void where prohibited. By using the MySpace Services, you represent and warrant that (a) all registration information you submit is truthful and accurate; (b) you will maintain the accuracy of such information; (c) you are 14 years of age or older; and (d) your use of the MySpace Services does not violate any applicable law or regulation. Your profile may be deleted and your Membership may be terminated without warning, if we believe that you are under 14 years of age.

Hm, well - for FunAdvice, the minimum is 13, not 12...so, even if you thought it was OK for him to get an account here, we'd have to delete it

My older son is 6 (he'll be 7 in December) so I don't have this type of discussion...yet I'm sure I will one day though.

I wouldn't let my son have an account at any social networking site, until he was older (13...maybe...maybe not) and if he did, I'd make sure I had the keys to it, to ensure that he wasn't doing anything that he wasn't supposed to be doing.

Protective much? Yep, for good reason, in my opinion. We block stuff on the internet, have a filter in place, etc, etc. The kids use a different computer, too, with more safeguards on it, and they only visit kids sites, like hotwheels.com, nickjr.com, etc.

Myspace requires you to be at least 14. Kids lie, though. My son uses the family computer in the living room where we can see him and he has a separate account that has safeguards, locks, etc. He does not have the password to our user accounts and we do not have the guest account on. He just won't leave me alone about this myspace thing. He says all his friends have them (I don't ever fall for that one) and I can have full access to his account. His friends have secret ones, though. I won't budge. My answer is still no. I wanted to see what other people would say. Thanks, thedude.

im a parent and a myspacer I can honestly say myspace is what you make of it and what your on there for ... I think that the age restrictions for myspace are to young what is it 13 I think they should move it to 16 and above it can be dangerous especially if there are un aware of whats going on in the world .or there not educated on what to watch out for ...id say wait till hes much older ...missv

I think that you shouldn't let him have a myspace but let him have a live chat acount. It would be different if he used bad language and stuff but if he doesn't then at least let him have live chat
I wouldn't let him have a myspace I've heard a lot of bad things about them

Well, you are suppossed to be...14 years of age (I think) to join MySpace. Also, most kids don't even ask their parents, so you obviously raised your son very responsibly. I say that that site should be taken down. There are a ton of things happening off of that site. Children are being found, people are getting hurt, its just so sad. :'(. I do however suggest, giving him a site like IMVU.com to have. Or, since he is 12, I suggest WeeWorld.com--haha, its a site for kids to have, they can talk--But there are people who are members that work and delete accounts of people using innapproate launguage. You can still add friends, and ALL messages are viewable by EVERYONE no matter what, so, you can even check up on him. For something more...childish, there is a site called ClubPenguin.com, make a penguin and Igloo, in a moderated virtural word. But,on that, at least give him the freedom to type what he wants, instead of selecting. Obviously, your son wants a Myspace because of all the people at school. 12 is the age where a lot of parents arent as protective. Why? I dont know, lol. I honestly don't think that you seem to give him much online freedom, All due respect. I just don't think you should budge on this.

Thank you all so much. I do not allow him to have a myspace, but I would allow him a myspace account a million times over before I allow him chat live. In fact, as long he lives in this house, he will not be allowed to chat online.

Thank you metalhead. I know he wants some freedom and yes, he may deserve some. But I decide which areas he can have more freedom and live chat is just not one of them. Maybe I can find him something along the same lines as myspace, just more age appropriate. I did not feel disrespected by your answer. I appreciate all feedback.

coming from a younger person(I'm 14)
I'd wait till he's 14. I was on there when
I was 12 and I got hit on by like 20 year
olds. there are a lot of creeps on there.
saying this. he is a boy and I know this
is sexist but myspace is a lot
safer for boys. but you would still want to
moniter him. maybe make yourself an acount too.
that's the only way I let my mom let me have one
hope that helps.

Thank you deadwishesx3. It does help. I did have a myspace account once before. I didn't care for it much. It seems like it would be more appealing to a younger crowd.

im 15 and have myspace
you do know you can set your profile to private and onli talk to people you know?
thats what I do
safe ... I onli accept invites of people I know

Honestly Monica, I dont think myspace is a bad thing. Its just something that your kid needs to know can be risky. Id recomend you dont make him any promises, but let him make an account for a few weeks, and watch over it every day. Make sure his profile is set to private and that he adds kids from his school only. Read the comments posted, go to his friends sites, read around, heck, mabye youll even learn something about some of your sons friends that you didnt know. Id recomend that you teach your son a lot about Internet safety, some kids just dont seem to understand how important it is.

In the end its your decision and if you decide to wait a year or two id set up a plan like "You can have a myspace account on your 14th birthday ONLY if you agree to...and you dont..."

Like deadwish stated, you could always make a myspace account too, mabye post comments on his myspace. That may freak him and his friends out, but if he doesnt want you watching over his shoulder, then he doesnt want a myspace. In the end he needs to learn how to protect himself and I hope you can teach him that

-John Doe

YES

well. you can make his profile private and watch who he adds as friends. if he only adds people he knows in real life as friends and sets his profile to private then he will be perfectly fine and safe on it. I've had mine for years and by doing that I have never had any problems on it.

Thank you tinseltown, johndoe, ponygirl347347 and I dont no nemore.

I have taught him quite a bit about the great things you can get from the internet and the dangers. This is why I decided against live chat.

I had a myspace account and I guess I don't have a negative opinion of it, I just didn't see the use for myself. All the things I could do on myspace, I could elsewhere. I know lots of young kids love myspace and when my son is online, I am watching him. Sometimes I bring a chair and sit down next to him and ask him, "What are you looking at here?". When I had a myspace, there were so MANY kids, some were my son's friends, that would post comments full of the F-word, and talk about things they wanted to do to girls, the profanity was terrible. These kids are 10, 11, 12. Very young. I know he could have a private profile and I could block all html, have all comments be approved before posting and restrict his settings, I just can't get over how these kids get away with some of the stuff they post on each other's pages. My son told me he wouldn't even get to have a cool myspace because of me. Of course I said too bad. It is just hard for me to budge on this. But I really appreciate all of your advice. My son would thank everyone who is on his side!!

yeah basically everyone has myspace.
my ex's little brother has a myspace.
and he's the same age as your son.
I know a few other people that age too that have myspaces.
and if hes willing to let you watch and check his things and everything like that.
I would just let him.
my mom used to make me delete mine ALL the time.
I went through 4 myspaces.
but now she doesn't care.
she trusts me.
its just the other people she doesn't trust.
but I keep my profile private.

Your son is 12 now. I think that you should let him have a myspace account. Why not? He even said that you can check it and that you can have the password. So what is the problem. If you see something you don't like that he is doing then take it away.

Well you can do what my parents did 2 me I AM aloud 2 get 1 but I cant put my name or picture on there and my parents have 2 ok my friends and im not aloud on the chat that anybody can get on my parents let me do the kind with just my friends

I have had a myspace before with my friend when I was 13 and we had some one hack into it and did not know I wouldnt let him because me and my friend both had a breakin at our houses while we were home alone so I know it might be hard to say no but it is the right thing to do

Facebook is safer than Myspace - have you explored it ?

I think it would be okay to let him have a myspace. you could have it checked regularly and there is a way to block anyone from viewing anything on his profile without a friend invitation, so he can add his friends and no one else. this way, he gets what he wants, and you can monitor his safety. (and not to mention he wont ask you anymore)
hope this helped