MySpace, MyKids: A Parent's Guide to Protecting Your Kids and Navigating Myspace.com

I found the book to be just what I needed to set my daughter's account up. Lots of helpful info for the beginner.

MySpace My Kids by Jason Illian has bettered my relationship with my daughter. We've had troubles with MySpace for over a year. I banned it in our house and kept discovering that she had been on the site. After multiple infractions, I deleted her site at the beginning of the year. A few months later, she was grounded for putting up a new site. Then I got Illian's book, and he changed my mind. He says that there are three types of parents: Those who don't know much about MySpace and think that their children don't either, those who think MySpace is evil and have banned it from their home, and those who are cautious about the site and allow their children to participate with supervision. I definitely fell into the second category. Illian points out that MySpace is not in itself a bad thing; it's all about how it's used. For some people it's simply an opportunity to keep up with their friends and express themselves. There are others whose intent is not pure and are trying to seduce children or engage in violent and unhealthy behavior. As a parent, it's my responsibility to make sure that my daughter's time on MySpace is safe, and Illian gives the tools to do so. He explains how to set up your own account and walks you through his own as an example. He shows where trouble can start and how to avoid it. After reading the book, my daughter and I sat down at her site, and she was very willing to make the changes the book recommends to keep her safe. We talked about content and friends that are ok, and because I wasn't raving like a maniac about the site anymore, she listened and together we implemented the changes. The book is short and entertaining to read with easy to follow instructions. This is a book every parent should read before allowing their child to use the site. It will alleviate some concerns and teach how to avoid pitfalls. My daughter actually thanked me for letting her use the site. My thanks go to Jason Illian.

Reviewed by Reina Santana for Reader Views (5/07) Parents are constantly bombarded with information on the dangers that lurk online. Recently, the media has featured many stories that expose the dangers that children face when they join online communities like MySpace.com. We hear about everything from inappropriate language to sexual abuse resulting from interactions on these communities. Although these dangers are real, there are ways to protect a mature child who is willing to work with their parents. "MySpace: My Kids" was written for concerned parents wanting to protect their children from these online dangers. "MySpace: My Kids" will help parents understand their kids a little better, but most importantly it will help them learn the simple steps that can be taken to protect their kids online. Written by Jason Illian, a Christian speaker and writer, who has toured the United States speaking to teens about sex, faith and online dangers, this book helps readers become comfortable with this sometimes misunderstood technology. Jason explains everything from opening an account to the various links and options available to your children. Parents will learn how to change privacy settings, follow electronic footprints, evaluate MySpace pages, and much more. Although some of this information is available on MySpace if you click on the help tab, Jason explains how parents can use these features to their advantage. In addition, the author provides a paid interactive online resource for parents. For $49.95 parents can take an online course to learn about MySpace. I didn't register for the course, because it seemed to offer much of the same information provided in the book, but it may be a good alternative for individuals who don't enjoy reading or prefer using an interactive tool. My only criticism is that the book promo does not mention that it is written from a Biblical perspective. The first 40 pages are filled with Biblical advice regarding MySpace. If you are not interested in this section, but still want to learn how to protect your children, skip to Part II. Part II will give you all the information you need, with some Biblical references sprinkled throughout, even if you are not a tech savvy parent. Overall, "MySpace, MyKids" provides valuable information that can be used by concerned parents- tech savvy or not.

I was fortunate enough to hear Jason Illian give this presentation to a group of students and their parents at a Christian school recently and then had the good pleasure to read the book - both the presentation and the book are very well done. Jason knows the world (virtual and real) that teens live in today and he understands that MySpace (and other social networking sites) are tools for young people to use to communicate their beliefs, feelings, and desires. Jason's goal is to make sure that young people know not only the dangers so they can surf more safely, but also the positives so that teens can make good decisions and their parents know how to manage and monitor online activity. Jason is honest and real in his presentation - the bottom line is that parents must know what their children are doing and they must parent in the real world even if the activity is in the virtual world. Yet, Jason also is a bridge between these two generations - parents, who are either ignorant or afraid of this new technology, and teens, who are fearless and seem to ignore red flags of caution as they enter into the new virtual realm. MySpace, My Kids is a great read - short, easy to read and very practical for parents. But the book is more than just a how-to guide. Jason weaves some biblical principles into the book helping parents understand this new technological world from a deeper perspective. Jason tries to help parents not overreact, but wants to make sure that once the information is presented that they can respond with truth and gentleness to use this tool as another opportunity to train their children in right living. The book is apparently going to be made available on MySpace soon, which will only give Jason and his message more visibility and credibility - which is great because this information needs to get into the hands of parents today.

Author Jason Illian says that he is passionate about tackling the MySpace(R) phenomenon because he has seen the emotional damage teenagers suffer when they have no guidance, direction, or love in their lives. He points out that the battle for their souls has become more vicious than ever, and parents must equip their children and themselves through knowledge and participation. Children spend much of their time in a parallel universe called the [...] such as [...] are the soda shops of today with over 100 million people dropping by. Many of these connections are dangerous. No matter what age your child, it is not too early or too late to understand the workings of MySpace.com and other online environments. Jason Illian gives examples of different approaches for monitoring the use of the computer such as establishing "zero expectations of privacy." He suggests software that tracks usage and can be programmed to shut the computer down at an assigned time of day. Although he does not advocate for use of the [...] website, he details the security efforts of the company. With patience a parent can see their child from the inside out by observing what they write, what pictures they post, what friends they meet, who stops by their website, and what groups they participate in. He cautions you to take the time to investigate and try to understand the workings of this environment before you risk losing a son or daughter to those who make it their mission to lure your vulnerable child to destruction. If you decide to allow your child to continue using an account with MySpace.com, this book will also provide you with the skills to make their activities as safe and private as possible. Christian or not--you must believe that you have a duty to your child. This duty entails supervision on the Internet. This book enables you to quickly get up to speed in becoming an expert at protecting your son or daughter from the risks involved with online communication. This book is not an option; it is a necessary tool for every parent--RIGHT NOW! Armchair Interviews says: This book removes any possible "ignorance" when it comes to children on the Internet--for parents or grandparents.