Facebook vs Myspace Essay Example

their privacy settings, limiting what they want to be displayed. Users also have the option to block other members and report spammers. In order to browse their database, you need to become a registered member.

MySpace requires the user to be at least 14 years old to join. They will delete profiles of members who have lied about their age to join. For instance, if you are between 14 and 17 and represent yourself as 18 or older, your account will be deleted. MySpace will provide contact information to report suspected underage members or inappropriate content and/or behavior. They also have a section on online safety tips for MySpace users that also includes how parents can limit or delete their child’s profile. MySpace values their user’s privacy so much; that the users have total control over their profile settings.

A user may make their profile viewable to everyone on MySpace or use the privacy settings to limit access to only friends. With MySpace, you can also block individual members, and report spamming and account abuse. Facebook has more than 500 groups in 23 categories to choose from, ranging from politics to gardening. It was once a place for people to network but now, there are more things to do like games, forums, tagging of photos and instant messaging. In addition, users can now access their Facebook from their mobile device. Users can check their Facebook account literally anywhere with this feature.

MySpace has no shortage of choices with over 20 categories and over 10,000 or more groups per category. Users can receive free text alerts when someone posts comments or sends you

a message. MySpace has a remarkable music section that has a huge database and is used by new artists to promote their music. Users can even become “friends” with those bands. Like Facebook it has additional options like games, instant messaging, etc. But, it also has extras, like books and events. In addition, MySpace also offers full episodes of many popular television programs and movie clips.

There are commercials just like on television. Facebook’s search feature is only available to registered users. Registered members can look up people through your high school or college, network, or city. Once they find the people they are searching for, they can then find more friends through their friends’ network. Facebook does provide users with an area that makes suggestions on the people you may know, looking for people simply by name or email address Finding friends on MySpace is easy, provided that they are members. Users can search for a person by their name, display name or email address.

Users can also narrow it down by school, interests, and even zip code. Registered members can make their search even more specific by using age range, gender, relationship status, etc. MySpace provides the user with a section for “people you might now” through their other friends. Facebook has a complete section on how to get started. FAQ’s are broken down into categories like privacy and security, advertising, applications and account settings. Users are also able to submit suggestions. There is also a section for parents and users dedicated to online safety.

MySpace has a pretty comprehensive FAQ section that covers all sorts of situations from underage

use to account hacking. It also addresses parents concerns about the children’s profile. Members can also contact MySpace support directly through a submission form. Facebook friends are friends members grew up with or know. Members don’t get fake friend requests by someone that gives the “how you doin’? ” line. Facebook has minimized the presence of trollers and spammers. Trollers are people who fish for friends whether they know that person or not. MySpace does not encourage random people from connecting.

They just want you to know who you are talking to. A few spam messages do slip through but there is no shortage in trollers. Members are not completely free from random friend requests. Facebook is a normal social networking site that has no flashy bells and whistles added to it. As of June, 2009, it was ranked the #1 social networking site (TopTen Reviews, Inc 2009) with 122,559,672 unique visitors (each visitor is counted as one no matter how many visits are made within that month) (Compete, Inc. 2009). Facebook is the site for staying in touch with family and friends, it is more of a “friends only” network.

MySpace is the social networking site that started it all with a wide variety of features, an extensive global community and a place for up and coming music artists to get noticed. MySpace is ranked #2 (TopTen Reviews, Inc 2009) with 60,973,908 unique visitors (Compete, Inc. 2009). MySpace added features, which allow its members to express themselves through customizing their profiles that matches their individuality along with allowing them to listen to their music or watch their favorite TV shows. Everyone has

their own preference. You might want to see it for yourself and decide which one you prefer.