“What?” the average American adult might say. “Blog what? Message boards?”
These high-tech “communication techniques” are spreading through our nation like X-Brain yo-yos and Pokemon combined, giving teens and young adults the opportunity to quickly “network” everything from their friends to their weekend schedules without ever leaving their computers.
MySpace allows any current user to send personal messages to other users, giving members the opportunity to meet new people as well as the chance to socialize with already established friends.
In addition to unmonitored messaging, many use the program for blogging. Blogging is a relatively new word meaning “online journal.” Members can post “blogs” about anything and everything.
“To me it is just like a diary,” said Tabitha Dunlap, Big Sky High School junior, “except other people can read it.” And they do.
The average user gets dozens of “hits” per day, giving every account holder the opportunity to share their opinions, their experiences and their lives with anyone who cares to visit.
Others take advantage of MySpace's heavy online traffic by posting their bands, films and other personal projects in order to promote media in an easy-to-use Web page format.
MySpace began as a method of promotion for up-and-coming bands, and eventually turned into a personal networking site. Now bands that never had the opportunity to broaden their listening audience can spread their music to every corner of the Earth without ever signing onto a label.
“People in France have listened to our music,” said Jordan Beyer, guitarist for the local band Black Friday. “MySpace has given us countless new fans and lots of publicity.”
The free Web site offers bands an alternative to expensive Web sites and agents. The traffic on many bands' MySpace accounts is substantially higher than personal accounts, possibly because of music enthusiasts' endless search for the next big star.
“I have (discovered new bands),” said Jessica Crawford, Big Sky senior. “There have even been a few that I found on MySpace and went to the concert a few weeks later.”
Bands can post their contact information, show dates, lyrics, and even MP3s of recorded music directly to their page. Users can visit and message any member, which is a positive thing for bands that need feedback on their music.
But at the same time, the unrestricted nature of MySpace is causing many parents to question the safety of their children on the site.
The recent murder of a 14-year-old girl was traced back to MySpace, causing many to be skeptical of the so-called “detached” nature of Internet relations that draws so many Americans to blogging sites like MySpace.
Crawford has been using MySpace for months to stay in touch with friends.
“You are the one that controls the safety, not the site,” she said. “Since it is a site where a lot of people of ranging ages can communicate, I think it is as safe as it can be.”
Though there are age limitations for site access, no checks are in place to ensure the identity of new members. In an interview with the Duluth News Tribune, News Corp. said it will soon start screening members to prevent the kinds of crimes that have drawn the attention of authorities and parents.
No details of the new safety measures have been released. Though these questions of safety are arising, thousands of new members log on every day for the diverse and exciting site functions that have truly broken ground in the world of Internet communication.
Whether messaging a new friend, writing a blog or posting your band's next hit single, MySpace caters to everyone who wants to say something to the world. With 60 million members and counting, MySpace is the most popular and fastest growing site on the Net.
Leland Earls is a senior at Big Sky High School.
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