MySpace, the social networking website, is different from other websites which only provide stories about other people. MySpace is a place that allows you to broadcast your own stories and personal information to as many people as you like. Founded in 2003, it is a big source of information for and about American kids.

Teenagers and their parents feel very differently about it. Teens are rushing to join the site, not sharing their parents' worries. It signals yet another generation gap in the digital era.

For teenagers, it is reliable network to keep in touch with their friends. They will often list their surnames, birthdays, after-school jobs, school clubs, hobbies and other personal information. "MySpace is an easy way to reach just about everyone. I don't have all the phone numbers of my acquaintances. But if I want to get in touch with one of them, I could just leave them a message on MySpace," said Abby Van Wassen. She is a 16-year-old student at Woodland Hills High of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Parents, on the other hand, are seriously concerned about the security problems of MySpace. “Every time we hold a parents meeting, the first question is always about MySpace," said Kent Gates, who travels the country doing Internet safety seminars（研讨会）. The National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children has received at least 288 MySpace-related complaints, according to Mary Beth Buchanan, a lawyer in Pittsburgh.

“Your profile on MySpace shows all your personal information to anyone on the WeB. And MySpace even lists this information by birthplace and age. It's like a free checklist for troublemakers and it endangers children,” Buchanan said.