MySpace.com | Imamother

amother

Wed, Feb 01 2006, 11:31 am

Oh boy. I recently discovered a web site that's quickly becoming the latest hang-out spot for frum teens/early twenties. It's called MySpace, and let's people create their own web pages - personal diaries/blogs, autobiography info, photos and a place for comments from other friends also on MySpace.

I have to say that I am speechless. Never in a million years would you think that seminary and kollel guys would write the things and post the images they do! I never realized how much secular culture influenced our young adults until now.

Guys and girls (both high school and in Israel for post-high school) writing the such filth back and forth to each other. Foul language galore, talking about secual escapades! Photos of guys and girls hugging and draped all over each other. Another running theme is doing drugs, smoking, and (especially those in Israel where the legal age for drinking is 18) getting drunk.

I am aghast at what I have seen, and so worried for their welfare. It is like getting a peek into the world our teens live in today. These kids are typical Bais Yaakov kids on the outside. I am certain that most of what they are writing is just joking and bravado, but still.

Has anyone else heard of MySpace?

chen

Wed, Feb 01 2006, 11:42 am

no, it is not a jewish place, officially or otherwise. The YI Viewpoint article mentioned that predators scan this site a lot b/c they know teens go there. I don't know why teens feel "safe" there, but it isn't safe at all.

DefyGravity

Wed, Feb 01 2006, 11:43 am

I have a MySpace account, but never use it. I like the site b/c it's a great way to contact people from Elementary and High School that you're out of touch with.
MySpace is like anything else on the internet, it has it's positive and negative aspects.

Itta

Wed, Feb 01 2006, 1:13 pm

myspace has been around for a while.... good morning. Twisted Evil

(no I didn't mean for that to be rude)

blogging has become very popular and ppl have taken up to public diary-ing.

yes, I have a myspace account, (as my not-frum cousin told me about this place, and its my only form of communication with him since we live so far away. must I mention that he's 16? oh, and originally he took his offer back saying that myspace is too dangerous for a frum girl like me...) and yes, I have stumbled on lots of preverted nut-cases, gay, lesbians and [filth] (or links to pornagraphical websites) depsite the fact that 'tom' the moderator, does not allow 'nude' photos to be uplaoded and threatens to take them down... (well, I wonder about his definition. its much different than mine!!)

I'll second that it is unfortunate for the teen jewish public to be mixed into this kind of society, as they have nothing to gain from it only to lose (in sprituality). there are probably horror stories Crying

..... I'm not surre I want to know...

for those that want to keep up with friends in a blogging atmosphere, try yahoo 360. you put up a profile and invite your friends (similar to the myspace concept). I think its safer, though I may be mistaken.

Motek

Tue, Jun 13 2006, 4:30 pm

Quote:

When officials at Upper Darby (Penn.) High School
discovered a 10th-grader had posted "highly inappropriate" messages on
her personal MySpace.com web page, administrators suspended her for two days.

The student wasn't identified, but her father, William Scantling,
said that no students were threatened in the postings. He has punished
her himself, he said, but objected to the school's also meting out
punishment since the postings were made from her home computer. He said the school had no business censoring her speech, and has contacted the American Civil Liberties Union for help in fighting the suspension.

What do you think about this? Is it the school's business?

chavamom

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 12:38 am

So funny that you post this today. Just last night I was doing a google search looking for something and came up with a neighbor's (yeshiva bochur, respectable yeshiva) son's 'myspace' page. Apparently his girlfriend (in beis ya'akov) has the same name as me. And since all their friends post links on the page,I recognized a few right away. I got a real education about some of the teenagers here. YIKES. These were high school age kids.

A while ago someone was posting about 'frumspace.com' I don't know if it's any better, but I would hope so!

goldrose

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 9:24 am

Quote:

What do you think about this? Is it the school's business?

for a non jewish/non religious school, I think it's none of their business. it's not contradictory to what the school stands for - they have no 'tznius' requirements!

southernbubby

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 9:32 am

Sometimes teenagers post incriminating or embarrassing anecdotes about fellow students and start harmful rumors. This type of cybebullying has caused several suicide deaths among teenagers. If this is the type of message that the teen posted, the schools have been taking action. Failure to take action that could cause the death of a child would not be proper on the part of the school.

Mrs.Norris

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 3:26 pm

Motek wrote:

The student wasn't identified, but her father, William Scantling

Well, she's identified now ... LOL

My Space just makes the things these people do more public, I don't think My Space is the actual problem.

Crayon210

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 9:38 pm

goldrose wrote:

Quote:

What do you think about this? Is it the school's business?

for a non jewish/non religious school, I think it's none of their business. it's not contradictory to what the school stands for - they have no 'tznius' requirements!

A school might have some sort of morality standards, and this student might have broken them.

Their tznius might not be based in Torah, but that doesn't mean they have no modesty or morality standards at all.

amother

Fri, Jan 26 2007, 9:21 am

Theis is a site called FACEBOOK.COM whichis like my space , but you can post even more pictures.ALL the HEAD RABBIS OF ncsy have it.
THE Advisors are allowed to Instant message your children ,
I SAW a PAGE From the advisors WITH 25 pictures of my CHILD IN IT?
I complained to NCSY and they said Their is nothing wrong with it.
I will print out your responses and show it to them .

amother

Mon, Feb 19 2007, 8:59 pm

amother wrote:

What? If your child is underage, in my area, schools are not allowed to post pictures of your children in a public venue without your consent. If they refuse to remove the pictures, you might want to consider hiring an attorney.

amother

Mon, Feb 19 2007, 9:46 pm

all these websites seem to be barely moderated. you have myspace, and facebook. frumspace seems to be a bit better, but I never really tried it. myspace has definitely become totally out of hand. the garbage thats on there...............