Setting up a basic MySpace account is fast and easy. Follow these steps:
Key Parenting Point Parents may want to take a look at MySpace's terms of use and safety tips, and go over them with their kids. MySpace is getting more responsive to complaints about violations of these terms, including deleting the accounts of people under the minimum age of 14 and accounts that violate its terms. Uploading a PhotoThe next step is uploading a photo to your MySpace profile. Or you can choose to skip this step until later by selecting the Skip for Now link at the bottom of the page (Figure 3.3). See "Turning MySpace into YourSpace" later in this chapter if you want to upload your photo later. Figure 3.3. Here, you can upload a photo or click Skip for Now to do it later.If you have a good digital picture readily available on your computer, you can upload it this way:
Key Parenting Point Be sure that you and your teen read the MySpace safety tips, and remind your child that any picture that gets posted can be seen and copied by anyone who has access to the profile. It can also be saved and passed around the Internet even after your child deletes it. Ask your teen how he or she would feel if the photos were seen by college admissions counselors, future employers, or Aunt Sophie. Inviting FriendsBefore you can view your new basic profile, you'll be asked to share your new page and invite your friends to MySpace (Figure 3.4). You can choose to notify your contacts by following the address-input instructions or skip this step until later. Figure 3.4. You can invite friends during setup or click Skip for Now to do it later.The Hello PageCongratulationsyour new MySpace account is active! The Hello page essentially is your MySpace home page and central site-navigation tool. Your home page is unique, and it's different from MySpace's main home page at www.myspace.com. You can access your home page by clicking Home in the menu near the top of any screen in MySpace. To get to the site's main home page, click the MySpace.com link in the top corner of any screen (Figure 3.5). Figure 3.5. Your very own MySpace home page.Every time you log in with your user name and password, you'll be autodirected to your home page. Your home page is your jumping-off point for editing or enhancing your profile. Only you have access to this page. Though it looks a lot like what the public sees, it's actually a little different. The URL of the page the public will see is displayed in the box that says "Tell people about your MySpace" (Figure 3.6). Figure 3.6. Here's where you can choose a URL that isn't a bunch of mind-numbing numbers.
Your MySpace home page has several features and tools, some of which we will highlight in this section and expand on in greater detail later in this chapter. Up to this point, you've provided only basic profile information, so your home page looks pretty sparse. The steps in the following sections let you flesh out your profile by providing details. Key Parenting Point For privacy and protection, especially if you log into MySpace on public or shared computers, we recommend that you and your kids follow certain practices when logging in and out. When signing in to MySpace (or any password-requiring site), make sure that the "Remember Me" box remains unchecked. When you're finished using MySpace, close out completely by clicking Sign Out in the top-right corner of any screen. We provide more information about passwords in Chapter 5.
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