TEENS ARE TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING ON A POPULAR WEB SITE

A 17-year-old Jackson High School student's MySpace Web site contains
a message from a friend suggesting "sex, dancing and a lot of
margaritas" sounds appealing for upcoming weekend plans.

On a 16-year-old Cape Girardeau Central High School student's MySpace
Web site, a message from a friend asks if the girl is still "smokin'
reefer," referring to marijuana.

Other area teens' MySpace Web sites have comments about getting drunk
at parties, doing drugs and personal sexual encounters.

On these easily accessed Web sites, teens are able to post pictures,
feelings and share information about their favorite bands and movies.

MySpace.com has nearly 42 million subscribers worldwide. Ninety
percent are between the ages of 14 and 30. According to research done
by Nielsen Net Ratings, MySpace had a 752 percent growth in its
number of visitors, ages 12 to 24, to the site in the past year.

To register on the free site, users must be at least 14 years old.
They can set up their own site with photos and various backgrounds
and post messages to other users. Basically MySpace.com is a virtual
social hangout for teens.

Cape Girardeau police detective Brad Smith said while MySpace and
similar sites are intended to be entertaining and a unique way to
network with other teens -- these sites can be dangerous.

"Predators can search these sites, looking for any student who is
willing to speak to them," Smith said.

On MySpace.com, students can express feelings, likes and dislikes,
any problems with a boyfriend or a girlfriend, Smith said. "Predators
look for these types of weaknesses to gain trust and friendship from
teens. Once the trust has been made, it is very easy for the
predators to increase their relationships with these teens."

The terms of agreement that users must sign before joining MySpace.
com say personal sites may not contain telephone numbers, street
addresses or last names.

But according to USA Today, in September a 16-year-old girl from Port
Washington, New York, was sexually assaulted by a 37-year-old man,
who had tracked the girl down at her after-school job. The girl had
listed her place of employment on her MySpace profile.

Users can easily search for other MySpace members who share similar
interests. Searches can be done to find members who go to the same
school.

A search for Cape Central, Jackson and Scott City High School 16- and
17-year-old students brought up more than 150 users.

While teenage users are familiar with sites like MySpace -- and
similar ones like it -- many parents and school administrators are
unaware that these sites exist.

"I did not know this site existed, but I'm not surprised," said Dr.
Mike Cowan, Central High School principal.

Cowan said students are not allowed to use school computers for
personal matters. "As far as after school, they are no longer under
our jurisdiction," Cowan said. "We certainly encourage healthy
lifestyles and we would encourage our parents to be aware of these
types of sites."

Jackson High School junior Emily Courtaway has been a member of
MySpace for a few months. Her site has a pink background with several
photographs of herself and her friends. She lists her favorite bands
on the Web site and has several messages from her friends.

"I didn't really get into it until lately," she said. "My mom doesn't
know I have a site. I don't think she really cares because she knows
I won't do something ridiculous on it."

Emily's site doesn't contain any information her mother should be
concerned about.

"I feel like my daughter has enough sense not to put things on there
that she shouldn't," said Emily's mother, Debbie Houghton, who only
recently learned of her daughter's involvement on MySpace.

As for classmates who have messages referring to drug use and alcohol
consumption, Emily thinks some students don't realize the information
is readily available for anyone to read. While the MySpace user terms
of agreement state personal sites may not contain last names,
several area teens' sites list their first and last names.

"Some kids really take it overboard with their talk of drinking and
doing drugs," she said. "If that is the bad impression people want to
put out, so be it."

Smith said the police department can't legally do anything about
teenagers posting messages about drugs or alcohol.

"It's basically freedom of speech," Smith said. "Anyone can go on
these types of sites and post pretty much anything they want."

If the police department receives a call about any threats posted on
these Web sites, then the school's resource officer will get
involved, Smith said.

"Any type of bullying found online, that's when we'll go in and start
looking closer at the issues," Smith said. "If a parent, teacher or
anyone calls in the station expressing concern of a certain site I
will look at it. I have had calls on Web sites like these in the
past."

Smith believes area schools need to include a course that teaches
students the dangers of the Internet.

"Parents should always put the home personal computer in a spot where
the monitor can be seen by anyone at anytime, and never let the child
have a computer in their room," Smith said.

"I mainly use MySpace to pass time when I'm bored," Emily said. "I
enjoy MySpace because I listen to unknown bands, and I like to talk
to my friends, both from school and those who live far away."

MySpace originally began as a place for independent musicians to
market their music. Cape Girardeau singer Mike Renick's band has been
a registered MySpace member for almost a year. The band's site
contains show dates and promotes its music by uploading songs for
visitors to hear.

"MySpace allows you to reach people worldwide," Renick
said.

Recently New Orleans musician Jason Greenwald visited the Mike Renick
Band's MySpace site. After the two musical acts spent several weeks
messaging back and forth, the groups arranged a show date in Cape
Girardeau.

"He came up here and opened for us, and now he wants us to come play
in New Orleans with him," Renick said. "That networking wouldn't have
happened without MySpace."

Renick said MySpace is also a good place to get feedback for the
band's music.

"I don't think the site has to be for musicians," Renick said. "I
like the fact that people who aren't musicians but love music have
access and are able to interact and give opinions about the music
they hear on MySpace."

Other similar sites like MySpace, Xanga.com and LiveJournal.com, also
attract teenage users but only have about one-fifth of the users of
MySpace.