More to your point, though, there is a lot of posing and acting out in MySpace and other social networks (by people of all ages, including people aspiring to be models, actors, as well as engage in more destructive activities). For some users it's their chance for fame, for others a big popularity contest or their personal "reality TV show"; but these are also places where people blog about their days or hobbies, keep up with their friends' lives, gossip, record meeting minutes, get parenting tips, etc. The social Web is a microcosm of human life, only more visually focused, it seems, and it's all ages thrown together in what social media research Danah Boyd at Cal Berkeley calls a "superpublic space." So it's really important, we feel, for parents to be informed about this and work with their kids about using the social networks wisely, thinking critically, and respecting and protecting their privacy. No easy task when there are so many places to which kids can upload content and when they live in a culture in which TV ratings suggest everyone wants to be a supermodel or "American Idol."
Anne
BlogSafety.com co-director