ALBANY -- MySpace.com has agreed with more than 45 states to add extensive measures to combat sexual predators and other misuse of the site, state officials said Monday.
A statement by attorneys general in several states said MySpace, the huge online social networking Web site, has agreed to include several online protections and participate in a working group to develop age-verification and other technologies. Other social networking sites will be invited to participate.
MySpace will also accept independent monitoring and changes to the structure of its site.
The agreement was announced in Manhattan by attorneys general from New Jersey, North Carolina, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York.
"The Internet can be a dangerous place for children and young adults, with sexual predators surfing social networking sites in search of potential victims, and cyber bullies sending threatening and anonymous messages," said New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram.
The attorneys general have been seeking greater controls for online networking sites to prevent sexual predators from using those sites to contact children.
"We thank the Attorneys General for a thoughtful and constructive conversation on Internet safety. This is an industry-wide challenge and we must all work together to create a safer Internet," MySpace Chief Security Officer Hemanshu Nigam said in a prepared statement.
He said the agreement includes measures the industry should adopt "to provide a safer online experience for teens and we look forward to sharing our ongoing safety innovations with other companies."
Among other measures, MySpace agreed to:
-- Allow parents to submit a children's' e-mail addresses to MySpace to prevent anyone from misusing the addresses to set up profiles.
-- Make the default setting "private" for 16 and 17-year-old users.
-- Respond within 72 hours to complaints about inappropriate content and devote more staff and resources to classify photographs and discussion groups.
-- Strengthen software against underage users.
-- Create a high school section for users under 18 years old.
MySpace will also accept independent monitoring and changes to the structure of its site.
The agreement was announced in Manhattan by attorneys general from New Jersey, North Carolina, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York.
"The Internet can be a dangerous place for children and young adults, with sexual predators surfing social networking sites in search of potential victims, and cyber bullies sending threatening and anonymous messages," said New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram.
The attorneys general have been seeking greater controls for online networking sites to prevent sexual predators from using those sites to contact children.
"We thank the Attorneys General for a thoughtful and constructive conversation on Internet safety. This is an industry-wide challenge and we must all work together to create a safer Internet," MySpace Chief Security Officer Hemanshu Nigam said in a prepared statement.
He said the agreement includes measures the industry should adopt "to provide a safer online experience for teens and we look forward to sharing our ongoing safety innovations with other companies."
Among other measures, MySpace agreed to:
-- Allow parents to submit a children's' e-mail addresses to MySpace to prevent anyone from misusing the addresses to set up profiles.
-- Make the default setting "private" for 16 and 17-year-old users.
-- Respond within 72 hours to complaints about inappropriate content and devote more staff and resources to classify photographs and discussion groups.
-- Strengthen software against underage users.
-- Create a high school section for users under 18 years old.
