Murdoch's MySpace Cracks Down On Problem Content
London - Express yourself--but mind News Corp.'s rules. Its recently acquired social networking site MySpace.com has clear tenets on objectionable content and the Web division of Rupert Murdoch's media empire has been disconnecting those who don't abide by them.
According to media reports, more than 200,000 "objectionable" profiles have been removed from its site in the last few months for including hate speech or being too risqué as the site tries to quell guardian and teacher fears about the safety of the network for young users. But Ross Levinsohn, the chief of News Corp.'s Internet division, told a conference Friday that objectionable content was swiftly fast becoming a problem germane to the Web as a whole, and not just confined to MySpace.
MySpace does offer users a set of instructions for safer use, and urges users to report "harassment, hate speech and inappropriate content" to it or the authorities. "Don't post anything that would embarrass you later. Think twice before posting a photo or info you wouldn't want your parents or boss to see!" the site also advises. And finally it warns: "Don't mislead people into thinking that you're older or younger. If you lie about your age, MySpace will delete your profile".
Of course, on a site that touts tens of millions of members, there's bound to be an orchard or two of rotten apples. Detectives have recently used profiles posted on the site to identify six suspects in a rape and robbery in Colorado. And some users are heeding the call to report bad behavior. A group of boys created a fake profile of a 15-year-old girl to cheer up a friend who had recently split up with his girlfriend. But when an older man tried to meet the fictitious teenager for sex, the boys called the police.
According to media reports, more than 200,000 "objectionable" profiles have been removed from its site in the last few months for including hate speech or being too risqué as the site tries to quell guardian and teacher fears about the safety of the network for young users. But Ross Levinsohn, the chief of News Corp.'s Internet division, told a conference Friday that objectionable content was swiftly fast becoming a problem germane to the Web as a whole, and not just confined to MySpace.
MySpace does offer users a set of instructions for safer use, and urges users to report "harassment, hate speech and inappropriate content" to it or the authorities. "Don't post anything that would embarrass you later. Think twice before posting a photo or info you wouldn't want your parents or boss to see!" the site also advises. And finally it warns: "Don't mislead people into thinking that you're older or younger. If you lie about your age, MySpace will delete your profile".
Of course, on a site that touts tens of millions of members, there's bound to be an orchard or two of rotten apples. Detectives have recently used profiles posted on the site to identify six suspects in a rape and robbery in Colorado. And some users are heeding the call to report bad behavior. A group of boys created a fake profile of a 15-year-old girl to cheer up a friend who had recently split up with his girlfriend. But when an older man tried to meet the fictitious teenager for sex, the boys called the police.
posted by idtics at 11:34 AM
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