I've been battling with my 14 year old sister over her myspace page for about a year now, and these stories coming out make me more and more nervous every day.

NY Times Advertisement

Kids can be really evil.
The other day I caught her making threats at another girl in her grade; I don't want to be the mean person and get on her about it because she'll delete me from her myspace page (and there goes my visibility) but I have no idea what she's doing out there.

I've been thinking about signing up for myChild (ReputationDefender > MyChild) . What are you guys doing to combat this stuff? Anyone else out there scared?

I removed my daughter's account about a year or so ago. I think MySpace can be very dangerous for children if it is not monitored by a parent. We used to monitor it, but frankly, I don't have the extra time to police it, so we got rid of it.

Many of the girls on that site have pictures of themselves that are nothing but a sexual advertisement for themselves. It's very upsetting.

That story didn't have anything to do with myspace, but it was very sad. I don't think a story in the NY Times is going to help keep him from getting beat up.

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Wendy~Self-proclaimed hippie momma to Bob and Jamie

My children aren't old enough to have Myspace pages yet but I do have one. My sister and brother have them too. When they set theirs up my mom opened one too and since they know that she is watching they are careful about what they post. Maybe your sister doesn't take you seriously because you aren't mom or dad? Maybe you can talk to your parents about it and have them talk to her. I'm not sure how you relationship is with her but i do know that with my siblings I am considered cool because I am still a young adult and that could be your case too and why she might not be listening to you. Personally I don't like the idea of that reputation defender unless you are COMPLETELY upfront and honest with her about it. she may think its invading her privacy and trust. I know I would.

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- Chantelle

Mommy to Roly (2000) and Elijah (2005)

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It is so sad. I made my 14 year old sister delete her's just over a year ago.

I am more of a mother to my sister than my mother ever will be, so when i fear for something she is doing i take action. i'm very glad i made her get rid of it.

I'm not real sure about the reputation defender thing.. i guess if things were really bad... that would be a way to find out what was going on? i don't know.. seems a little odd to me..

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My choices yesterday create my today. My choices today create my tomorrow.

I couldn't afford that reputation defender. Are your parents not monitoring her computer time at all?
I have to comment on that article. I know some of you will say that Billy has the right to go to school, and shouldn't have to stay home because of the bullies. If it were my child, I wouldn't let it go 4 years. Not that the parents aren't doing anything, but after that long, and it seems they are really getting nowhere, I would be pulling my child out of school. I couldn't let my child get that many beatings. I think after the 3rd beating, I would be homeschooling my child. Work opposites shifts if I have to, I wouldn't feel safe sending him to school.

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You can lead a man to Congress, but you can't make him think.
-- Milton Berle

i completely agree... why did it go this long? that is horrible IMO..

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My choices yesterday create my today. My choices today create my tomorrow.

First, my son wouldn't be going back to that school ever. How can a parent continue to send their child knowing they are being targeted - especially since the school apparantely isn't willing to do anything about it? I'd be so furious at the school administration. How can they say he is at fault and brings this on himself? That poor kid. I understand the parents are being vigilant in their record keeping but the main thing I think they could do is start homeschooling. No way in this world I'd set my kid up for this every day.

Yeah, I would never allow my child to go thru that. I have to say I put responsibilty on the parents.They are the ones sending him into that situation day after day knowing what they are making him go thru. The poor kid is so affected that he is getting sick to his stomach every day and they still make him go. What is that?? They have other options.... private school, homeschool, move. We are supposed to protect our children.

Kids really don't see danger because they are so trusting and believe everything that is told to them. That is why it is up to the parents to protect their kids.

I am agreeing with the rest on here, 4 years is too long to let something goes that makes your childs life unbearable, not to mention that fact that he could have been seriously hurt or worst.

But the main thing, is that something must be done to the bully, or he will continue and as he gets older he could even kill somebody because of his anger and bully issues. People like this never stop, once somebody shows them fear. Because the fear is what they feed off of.