MySpace.com is the hottest social networking site, if not the most visited Internet site, overall, these days. The site has millions of users/visitors who enjoy posting their personal profiles and using the site to visit with old friends and meet new ones.
Users talk of almost being addicted to the site, needing to visit it many times each day to see who has posted to them. Users talk of the power it brings them to express themselves in such a public way.
Is this something our high school and college aged users will eventually grow out of? Will MySpace.com grow old at some point for these users as their life experiences change?
Or will this generation of MySpace.com users continue with this level of social networking throughout their Internet life, creating a new generation of Internet users who use social networking sites to create their own special worlds?
What do you think? Why do you like or not like MySpace.com? Do you think you'll continue to visit the site as extensively after college? Are we going to have millions of senior citizens in 50 years, still networking on MySpace.com?? (you better agree to change your photo as you age...in the interest of honest communication!)
-Jen Mullen
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23 comments:
I believe Myspace is just a sign of the change in communication techniques. Myspace is just like eharmony.com - but free and used for more then dating.
It is more then just for individual people too - movies and bands have there own sites to promote there items.
I agree that it is addicting - it is somewhat of a popularity thing - "oh, I have 200 friends" - she has like 10" - that's what it is for younger users - 14-17yrs. In my opinion anyway.
I do think those who use it will continue to use it until the next better site comes along. Older people use eharmony.com and other such sites, so I do think that we will still use myspace after college.
If not myspace then another site that lets us communicate with anyone.
In my opinion myspace involves much psychology. Those who are somewhat shy in the "real" world can be as bold as they want online and feel allowed and even encoureged to let loose. Comunication is essential to being human - and the ability to do it with anyone is very temping and addicting.
A 20/20 special was recently done entitled "mean girls". It discussed the nature of young girls to be very degrading and cruel - particularly when under the cover of the internet. They used myspace to take pics of other girls they disliked and would then alter them and repost them.
Myspace is dangerous - bullying and other offences have been linked to myspace.
Although to be fair to myspace, I should say that peoples information can be gotten from eharmony and endless other sites. Myspace just happens to have young people who are not as carful as they should be, and it's free.
I will always want to have the open communication that myspace offers - but I may choose another way to communicate in future years, who knows. myspace just happens to be the best way for the time being.
I am probably the only person that I know that doesn't have an account on either myspace or facebook. I really don't see the need for one and to be quite honest it makes me sick how involved and obsessed people get with them.
I must admit that they are kind of cool and interesting at first. And I suppose they are a good way to meet and network with different people, but I think after you reach a certain age its time to move on.
I could be totally wrong, but I'm pretty sure after the college years of a person's life sites like MySpace will be a thing of the past.
Travis Bliss
I believe that myspace has gotten out of control. It's a way of communication but it also has no privacy what so ever. I don't know if everybody who uses it knows that or not. I personally don't have an account but I have seen people's lives just get ruined because of what they said or what other people have said about them. To me it is not worth it. I also agree that people's lives are caught up in it wondering what messages they have recieved that day. I think that as this generation gets older they will realize that it is not worth it in the long run. And myspace will eventually get smaller and smaller. Then who know's? With the technology and genius's we have there will probably be something else similiar to myspace in the future!!!
My space has huge momentum right now.
It can't be judged on whether it is good or bad because there is a such a wide range of personalities and interests on display.
At worst it is used by weirdos for self-promotion.
At best it is used by weirdos for self-promotion.
It's a form of free individual advertising whose time has naturally come by way of a perfect medium for such a thing.
And it can be made more private and secure simply by making one's profile private and restricted only to those designated as friends.
The biggest problem is the content placed by the people on their own behalf.
If some idiot chooses to dog out his boss online and makes his comment open to all, then gets into a little hot water for it, that's his own fault.
On the other hand, if some young girls decide to doctor a couple of photo's of some other girl strictly for character assasination, that's bad too.
It boils down to personal accountability. People should accept the idea that how they present themselves online may create a lasting perception in their public's minds.
Now that's not to say that the My Space tech team cannot create more safeguards, but that's a likely inevitability not a suggestion.
I do not have a my space account, yet.
And I am in no hurry to create one.
It is, however, annoying that people feel more secure and free to expresses themselves under the illusion of saftey created by cyberspace though. Why is it that people aren't becoming more open to diverse human interaction "in the flesh?"
Are we becoming a society of neurotic, egotistical sociopaths, who can only reveal themselves in such totally self-involved manners?
Why is it that the same guy or girl who shows off their "junk" online can't show the attractive guy or girl in class the same side of themselves?
Scary thought isn't it?
mtaghizadegan
I believe, that “MYSPACE” at this point has the “WOW NOW “ factor and is more of a trend for the youth where they can go and be something their not or wish they were. Much like “YAHOO” was for non traditional users of the net (I.E) adults that got caught up in the whirl-wind of chatting on line meeting people across the world, but in this case it is a way for the youth to basically stand up and be counted. I feel that at this point it is “the here and now” and soon to be “what was” and another site, fad or what not will replace what is. However, I do feel that this generation of youth growing up in the digital realm we call the internet will still rely on the accessibilities of information that can be accessed at the click of a mouse as “we” did in our local libraries growing up.
I personally believe Myspace is proof that America is just getting lazier and lazier. The reason I think this is now that Myspace and other networking sites have come along people don't actually have to get in their car to go meet their friends to talk, instead they just get on the internet and catch up on all of the gossip. I do believe that most of the myspace users will eventually grow out of this because I personally have a myspace account and now that I have started college I already don't have time to get on and check it. So I think that as users get older and busier they will eventually stop worrying about who wrote them on myspace. I do hope so anyway, because I myself don't want to be seventy years old posting pictures and stories about my grandchildren.
I personally believe Myspace is proof that America is just getting lazier and lazier. The reason I think this is now that Myspace and other networking sites have come along people don't actually have to get in their car to go meet their friends to talk, instead they just get on the internet and catch up on all of the gossip. I do believe that most of the myspace users will eventually grow out of this because I personally have a myspace account and now that I have started college I already don't have time to get on and check it. So I think that as users get older and busier they will eventually stop worrying about who wrote them on myspace. I do hope so anyway, because I myself don't want to be seventy years old posting pictures and stories about my grandchildren.
Angelina Perez
MySpace is the "new thing" of now and is based on personal individual profiles. It is a great tool for communication but it also has a negative side as well. It's nice that people can share their lifes and interests with people, and keep in contact with new and old friends, but people are dishonest and bold behind their computers but not in person. There are many horror stories out there but you just have to be safe and cautious so that the stories not about you. Myspace comes with several consequences whether you like it or not.
MySpace is a free site right now and it is booming but sooner or later they are going to start charging a price and eventually, MySpace will die out. People are not going to want to pay the price and will then find another free means of communication.
But in the meantime it works and people are going to use it.
Robin Romero
Personally, I agree that Myspace will eventually decline in popularity. It is one of the most visited and used sites in the U.S. right now however it targets a certain age group, consisting of mostly 13-25 year olds (mostly). I think that this generation so infatuated with Myspace will grow old and so will the popularity of the site. As we age there will be a serious decrease of usage of the site.
Molly Hubbard
I think MySpace will either eventually fade out or become more appealing to a younger audience. Right now it is the hottest social networking site, but that won't last forever because eventually someone will think of something new and then that will become the popular thing.
I don't think people are going to grow old with MySpace. I think MySpace will always appeal to the younger generation.
-Jen Robles
Myspace.com, everyone who owns a computer can relate to this name in some form or another. Whether or not they use it is up to them. But most do choose to be able to create a profile online and chat it up and send comments to old friends or to new ones that they had made. And like the many before me, I thought it was all mainstream for someone like me to join, but I guess I'm a hypocrite because yes I do have an accout with myspace, and yes I do check it atleast once a day. But why do we all get so caught up with checking it? Its not like before when we weren't using it something bad happend. Yet, me as a college student who has plenty of friends that I don't see on myspace, why do we continue to use it!?
I believe that it is just more of a trend than anything else. Apple came out with the IPod, everyone had to have one. There is a new way to do your hair or a new style of clothing out, everyone had to do it! And just like the fads that have gone out before, I do believe that myspace will have its time and place. Yet still like those long ago fads, there is always a start up, of a newer fad that was like the old one, but bettter... somehow.
For the older generations of myspace users, 20's to their 40's, it's a way to keep in touch with friends who had moved away or old school friends that you haven't seen in awhile. For the younger generations of children, the teenagers, its just a way to comunicate and stay "In" when everything is going out. It keeps them chatting at school and its a way to brag. "Oh I have this many friends, how many do you have?" I don't know about you, but all my close friends I have their telephone numbers to call them, why leave a comment?
For the senior citizens, it will become there way to communicate to their loved ones, when all around them, its a technology world out there. I don't believe that myspace will shut down completely, like stated before, there will just be some new guy or gal (Thanks Tom! ) that will make something bigger and better.
Just think, the newest thing will be the only way to keep in touch with your family is by looking them up online, wow, what a world we live it.!
~Savanah Robles~
Myspace has indeed gotten out of hand in the last year or so. They are now saying that over 60,000 pedifiles are on myspace. By my count, that is way too many. I was a user in high school, but not as big of a user as alot of other people. When I got out of high school, I realized how pointless the whole thing was, so I think that people will grow out of their myspace "phase" soon or a later. Myspace displays private information which could be harmful to young people. If you couldn't tell, I am against myspace and I think some type of establishment should step in and shut down myspace, or at least put some borders on what you can do on myspace. Myspace is the "in" thing right now because the new media of the Internet is hot in the present. I think that websites like myspace are a contributing factor to childhood obesity. Kids sit at the computer posting comments to their friends that live down the street. Kids never just go out and run around anymore and it's definitley showing.
Syeven Ledbetter
In Japan, there is also a social network site such as mixi as well as in the United State. You can get in the site only from your friends’ recommendation e-mail. They enjoy posting their picture, personal information, and diaries. Probably, you can find your old friend which it has been a while to seen him or her from the last time. My friend who was already the member told me a interesting story in his college computer lab. Almost all students in there faced the social networking site even though each person was watching a different person’s site. I like it because I can see and enjoy their stories easily for entertainment even if they made story or there is some lies. But the information posted in the site is not always reliable, so we should not take a lo seriously.
Kiyoshi Tada
I believe that myspace will be very popular among the younger generation. I believe that it will continue to be popular with them only because at that particular age (13-21) being socail is everything that they want. They want to fit in and be popular and myspace is a site to do that. I think that the older genration will lose it once they find job and they have better things to do. I have a myspace account and i'm thinking about cancelling it just because there is only so much that you can do on it and then it's not so fun anymore. I think that it will always be around until the next best thing comes along. But it's up to each individual.
I think that myspace is here to stay. The generation of college students who are on there now will most likely continue to communicate with the people they know on there into their old age because people move away. When people move away, it's hard to call or visit alot, but it's easy to get online and respond to a bunch of emails that are all in one place. That's whats so great about myspace, all your friends are in one place and easy to access. Then there's already a new generation of myspacers talking to each other on there right now. My little sister is on myspace and she's only 12 years old. I don't think myspace is going anywhere. It's like the internet, it's here to stay and a great way to communicate with friends that are far away, or even next door.
Myspace is a great way of keeping in touch with friends and even family, it really is the new form of communication. Although these specific sites might become out of date, I do believe that some form of this type of networking will always be present.
Myspace clients are getting younger and younger, so really where will it end. I think that some form of this networking will always be in everyones life, no matter the age.
Myspace is and always will be the place in that cyber world that anyone can be popular in a type of cyber high school or college scene. No one will ever grow out of the myspace crave because my friend has a profile and has had women that are old enough to be our mothers ask to be their friends. Now seriously when is enough...enough or what age does your credibilty go away for trying to have 16 years old again.I'm sick of people talking about myspace, if it isn't in the news, someone's mouth and topics on national webpage's(MSN,Yahoo). Personally this webpage is never going away neither will the people and that really needs to stop. I know that this socail networking pages are built for our generation to make us closer together but with that brings cyber bullying and then there is the sick predators that seriously have nothing better to do with there lives. So do you monitor Myspace from sick people that take life for granted and want to make other people's life a living hell. Where is the censorship on this webpage and when will there be one to guard the next generation or is this juat going to be one of those pages that parents warn you not to have?
I just turned 19, and recently deleted my Myspace and Facebook. And now that they are gone, I find myself having more time to do things that matter, and are less self involved to the point you are obsessed of seeing pictures of yourself and posting them, and things about your weekend for everyone to see. Do the users of these networks not realize what hits the web, stays forever? A picture can be copy and pasted, etc. Before you know it your business is public from these sites. And who to blame but yourself? I agree that I at one time enjoyed the site, but now that it is gone I find it immature and juvenile. Take a step back and look at the network...Pictures of you for everyone to see. Some people are posting inappropriate pictures of them, where is your moral code??? What if your grandma or even your siblings were to see what you are doing on the internet! You are presenting your self in an immature matter. Not only is it a step towards in appropriate, but it is dangerous. People ask to become a "friend" of yours, whether you know them or not you add them. Who knows who that person is, what they are actually using the internet for? There have been predators caught from the sights, and mothers are still letting their children get a Myspace?
There can be safe ways to come about having an account, but it requires close monitoring. Pictures of yourself should be appropriate, what you say or do on the interment should be appropriate. So much so, you can tell your grandparents. I believe that after a certain age and before a certain age you should be unable to have a Myspace. Not only for safely, but for sake of having a life. Take your sons and daughters, friends and siblings and get them a life...get ride of their myspace.
At this point it is hard to say if myspace will ever lose its popularity. Unlike other fads, it seems like Myspace has yet to slow down instead just continue to grow into a social networking empire. With myspace being such an addictive site it is hard to say how long people (myself included) will have myspace accounts. Although I do believe that when we all turn 50 most people won't have that many myspace accounts because for one I just don't see too many people at 50 having one and besides, theirs always a strong possibility that something even better can come along the way in the near future.
I've often wondered how and when myspace would "end." Would it simply just become unpopular to Americans, would they lose interest (similar to chat rooms)? Would a new type of communication or networking bump this type of communication? It is difficult to determine what will happen to myspace. One thing is for sure, the "myspace technical group" makes sure the site is constantly changing, new things are added old things are changed. For the most part, it has kept up with American's constant need for "bigger, better, faster". The sit offers, music, groups, forums, discussion boards, videos, etc. This extremely successful social networking site seems to have all the bases covered for now, but an American Audience can be a cold and easily distracted crowd, I hope Tom is investing wisely.
Honestly i am one of those people that visit myspace a lot. Im not going to die if i cant get on it at least once a day but it is nice to go on there because it gives me something to do. Through myspace i stay in touch with my friends from home that i dont really get to see. I talk to them on the phone but through mysapce i can see what they have been up to(like when they post new pictures or something). I dont know when people will grow out of the myspace craze. I remember getting one when i was like 15 or 16 and that was almost 4 years ago. I have changed mine around and updated since them(obviously) but i am still intersted in it. I like getting comments and knowing people are thinking about me. There are some people i know though that have like their moms, dads, aunts, or uncles even on myspace. To me thats a little creepy. I myself will probably grow out of it soon, but now, its just too much of an addiction.
I am a big fan of myspace.com because as the blog said it is a great way to stay in touch with old and new friends. Ironically though, I also notice that people do “grow out” of myspace. Myspace has been labeled specifically as a site for high schoolers and once people enter college and want to take social networking more seriously they become involved with another site, Facebook. I have frequently heard my peers who have entered college denounce myspace and take up facebook. It seems kind of funny to me because I take Face book less serious because every day they come out with ridiculous new applications that seem to take away from the benefits of social network sites. To stay in touch with friends. As people grow older I don’t think they will still be myspace or facebook dependent because they begin to withraw steadily from society and interact less with people their own age if it requires more work then to just pick up a phone. Not to mention that as people get older they tend to stay less up to date on media and technology.
I think that Myspace will always be around for people who are in their teens and early twenties, however I feel that after a certain time in your life, you tend to move on and not care about Myspace or Facebook as much. I know that when I first got a Myspace account when I was in high school I was on it constantly. As I got further along in my college education I have cared less and less about checking my Myspace.
I think that social networking sites are good for people to be able to keep in touch with others espesially after high school when everyone goes their own ways. I also think that eventually something will come out that is even better than Myspace and that will be the new hot thing.
Nikki A
MCCNM 101@9:30
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