MySpaceSafetyTips.com

[excerpt from MySpace Primer: A Concise Guide On How To Use MySpace.com Safely and Responsibly]

The “Background & Lifestyle” and “Basic Info” tabs on the “Edit Profile” page include several data entries that are typical of a dating service. We do not recommend that teens use MySpace as a dating service, or to find a “serious relationship.”

For “Marital Status” the following options are available:

• In a Relationship
• Single
• Divorced
• Married
• Swinger (displayed only if you are 18 or older)

Selecting “Married” or “In a Relationship” (whether true or not) may ward off some malicious people who happen to browse your page. These selections will also keep you out of the search results where such a person specifies “Swinger” or “Single” as search criteria.

The MySpace selections for your sexual orientation are:

• Bi
• Lesbian or Gay
• Straight
• Not Sure
• No Answer

The safest answer is “No answer.” You’re making space for friends and/or networking, so who cares what your sexual orientation is?

The following options are available in the “Children” category:

• I don’t want kids
• Someday
• Undecided
• Love kids, but not for me
• Proud parent
• No Answer

“No answer” is the best response, to keep you out of search results and leave someone you don’t want to meet with that much less to talk to you about.

The “Basic Info” tab includes “Body Type” and “Height” entries. If you’ve joined MySpace for friends and/or networking, then this information is irrelevant. The safest selections for body type and height are “No answer.” This will keep you out of search results where the person searched for people with specific body and height characteristics.