Security and Privacy on MySpace

Is there security and privacy on MySpace? This can be a difficult question to answer
because there are many possible answers. There can be a certain degree of security and
privacy available on MySpace but as with any online community there is also the potential
for unsafe situations and violations of privacy. However, there are a couple of ways
MySpace members can ensure they are receiving the highest levels of security and privacy
possible. This includes being familiar with the terms of service, taking active measures
to protect yourself and making use of the privacy features included in the software.

Read the Terms of Service Carefully

Reading the terms of service carefully can give users an understanding of the amount of
security and privacy available on MySpace. These terms of service provide members with
useful information for the types of activities or content which are prohibited on MySpace.
Understanding these regulations will help members to understand whether their actions or
the actions of other members are in violation of the terms of service. While the MySpace
administrators do not have a policy of policing the community for content violations, they
will respond to allegations by other members of violations and will take appropriate
actions if the members are in fact found to be in violation of the terms of service. These
actions may include deleting the members account and taking appropriate legal actions.

The MySpace privacy policy is referenced within the terms of service and this reference
incorporates the entirety of the privacy policy into the terms of service. As a result
members who join the MySpace community and agree to the terms of services are also, by
default, agreeing to the privacy policy. Therefore, members should carefully review the
privacy policy and familiarize themselves with the terms of this policy.

Protect Yourself on MySpace

Members of MySpace do have a small degree of protection afforded by the administrators of
MySpace but they can provide themselves with a great deal of additional protection by being
aware of how the Internet works and using common sense. Generic safety tips for protecting
oneself on the Internet also apply to the MySpace community. Just like it is not wise to
give out sensitive information such as your address or social security number on online
discussion boards, it is not wise to list this type of information on a MySpace profile
either.

MySpace members may think the information they post on their profile is only being viewed
by their friends and the members of their extended network but this is not true. There can
be many individuals on MySpace who are lurking and viewing members’ websites all the time.
Some of these lurkers may be completely innocent but others may be harvesting information.

Making Profiles Private

MySpace does have some features which can give members an increased amount of protection.
The ability to make a profile private is one of these features. Most MySpace profiles are
public and are viewable by both members of the community and nonmembers. However, those
who wish to keep their website private can make it only available to those on their friends
list.

Members of MySpace also have the ability to remove members from their friends list or
block other members from sending them emails or instant messages. Only members in your
friends list can post comments on your website so if there are members who are leaving
malicious comments, you can remove them from your friends list to avoid future problems.
Also, if you are receiving harassing emails or messages you can block users to prevent
them from contacting you in the future.

Written by Michael L. Mayhew
Michael Mayhew is the webmaster of WebmasterAutomation.com.
You can get additional information at his website:
http://webmasterautomation.com/
(c)2007