Sunday, May 14, 2006

Myspace SNL skit

Really funny skit on SNL this weekend - Julia Louis Dreyfuss is in a Learning Annex class as a mother, trying to understand how to help control her daughter's Myspace activities. About 8 other men are in the class, posing as "students", while ostensibly learning exactly how to leverage Myspace themselves (as erstwhile child molesters). It's pretty funny, especially when a Police officer walks in and they all scurry out like roaches. The way the instructor presents guidance on establishing a screen name, with "your name, birthdate and something you like" incorporated isn't exactly promoted anywhere, especially Myspace (now), but it's certainly advice you find out and about among those parents who aren't aware or paying attention. I'll try to find a link and post it.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Interesting Filtering Reviews with Teen Help

Ran across some Internet Safety-related reviews of PCPandora and TUKI: The Ultimate Kid's Internet. The reviews and tests (performed by a Teenager!) are pretty good, from the folks at www.perverted-justice.com (yup, the folks who helped Dateline NBC nab sexual predators). The reviewers "want you parents to have a good idea of what these programs do", but I was more informed about "exactly how my teenager will likely circumvent my own controls".