I've just been reading THIS topic posted by quietman7 in the Security News section, regarding the site 'Myspace' and a hacker virus as reported in the Daily Mail.

I will be honest, i sit on the fence on the Myspace topic. I am a member of Myspace, mainly because it allowed me the chance to get in touch with old friends. I do not use it for music (except when listening to friends bands)or pictures or video, just a quick message now and again to friends, and i also know quite a few bands on there who i keep in touch with.So, i do not click on any advertisment links, nor do i go looking for ways to 'Pimp' my page, or click on links in bulletins telling me that if i do, and answer 10 questions, then i will get a pretty new picture on my page telling me what kind of 'Friend' or 'Lover' or 'Monster' i am,etc! YES, i do know i can contact friends through normal email, but i know for a fact that most check Myspace everyday, where as there emails, twice a week or so.

Im not here to slaughter Myspace, nor am i here to defend it either.

In a real world, Myspace would be a clean site, free from Malware and more importantly, safe for children to use. I do feel, that children should not be using sites like Myspace for a number of reasons, mainly, attacking, in all senses of the word. There are too many dangerous people out there prying on the young, which Myspace can only help contribute towards it. I know that children may read this, but i don't say this to be annoying, believe me. I say it as an adult who knows that its not really safe for you to go on. I don't even just mean in terms of the people on there, but the amount of malware you can be affecting your machine with.

In the link to quietman7s post, there was a post from ussr1943 who quoted from a reply in reference to the Daily Mail article, This, i'm sad to say, is totally true, which leads me onto this quote from that same site in which a reply was given in response to what the article had stated. It read as follows,


Whenever you try to help (and thats the issue here, actually trying to help) anyone who goes to sites like Myspace and inform them of all the virus and spyware that can be found there, they just don't want to know, infact they get rather defensive, about something they know nothing about.

I've tried time and again to inform them that i'm not saying these things to p**s them off, i'm saying it because its true, but they just don't listen. All the response you get is like that above. Awkward and them not quite happy at you for offending there beloved site. Its a fact that 5% of internet traffic is related to Myspace in one way or another.

Well, thats just the point really. Yes, we are living in an age now where alot of or time is involved using a PC online in some way, so i see his point a little. But just as easy as it is to agree with you, its even easier to argue. With us now living in a computer age, then it makes it even easier than it did in the 70's my friend to find information out about someone and use it against them, weather it be a paedofile, a hacker or an online thief.

I actually posted the Daily Mail article onto the Myspace bulletin section, and instantly i received a reply from someone i know who said and i quote Then i received another reply off someone else which was to sum it up, anal!

It still surprises me, just how ignorant most people are in there attitude to Cyber crime and there prevention to it. Around 80% of people i personally know who have a computer, have no form of anti-spyware software on there system. They thoroughly believe that an anti-virus is all that is needed. It really does not matter how many times i tell them, they don't want to know, and I've even known some to argue saying they have not got any infections as there anti-virus scan comes up clean so they know they don't need anti-spyware tools.

Now i know I've contradicted myself here. I use Myspace now and again, but i also know the crap that can be waiting for you on there. I do have a little more defense than most that go on there, but still i am aware. I guess my point is this. If you are going to use a site like MySpace, then use it wisely and sensibly. Yes it would look nice to have a great looking page or contact box, but just keep it basic. Yes, i use MySpace, but not everyday and for not long periods of time, like most.

It's not you living in the 70's, it's them.
In the 70's you didn't have the Cyber crime, or the amount of malicious software, that's rampant today.

At least you use the site as an informed user, not someone who is totally oblivious to the way the real world works, which decreases your chances of getting problems, as a result of using the site.

tg1911, that my friend is exactly my point!

I guess what i was getting to is that if you do use a site like myspace,then be intelligent enough to know the machine you are using and the problems you would encouter browsing the net. The problem of course with me saying that is that we all know the people who use these sites in general really have no idea what they are doing, and until they do, those places will continue to be a breeding ground for attackers out there.
We are not in the 70's anymore, the guy who said that was right about something at least, but we should therefore be more intellegent with the machines we use, its just sad to see ignorance is as popular as ever!

What was it Einstein said, "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.".

Just found this pretty old post, but had to comment.

In all honesty, i would have been one of those who would defend MySpace.....at least until i learnt a little more about computers. I still go on there now and again, but only as GraveAngel said, to check up, and not to make things look pretty or try to make a billion friends. I have to say i WAS one of the ignorant ones, after the problems ive had, never again!

Hi, i LOVE designing crazy profiles for myspace and am interested as to why you advised to keep your page simple?

Yeah, duno, got antispyware too and everytime i see a comment off a friend or when visiting another page that advertises that bird "come to my site" (exaggerated take the micky sexy voice), or the speech bubble get your tracker profiles comment, or even the "how i earn 400 extrer £ through filling out these questionaires" ones, i ALWAYS take a minute to ask the person if they know that these are hackers, advice them to delete the comments so no-one else falls in the trap and also go to the person sending the mess to tell em they been phished and need to change their password.


Quite often they appreciate it.

This is taking it slightly into realms of conspiracy but i went on a mad train of thought which i am sure many others have been on also...maybe?

Is Tom REALLY Tom? as in, we have no idea/ i have no idea what power is funding myspace...what power is it that knows INTRICATE details about BILLIONS of people. Not only that but hte fact that its beeen set up in such a way that people grow to LOVE IT sooo much they can't see sence!

hmmm, aliens? breeding loyal army of myspacers?

but seriously though!

BUT, you are absolutely right on this matter, I'm not defensive i hope so give me feed back if you want, i like to think i am wise to it and maybe i am not.

NICE ONE!!! good post nn23