MySpace, YourSpace: Are Libraries infringing on teen privacy?
Recently, we received this comment on the Alt. Teen Services Blog:
MySpace - Libraries on MySpace appeal to teens!”
Is this true, or just an aphorism? I’ve heard from teens that MySpace is a good source of library information, but I’ve also heard from the same teens that they want MySpace for themselves. They’re not pleased with organizations, especially ones they consider to be “authority” (read: school or library) being on their turf.
Here is my response, which hopefully propels us into a nice discussion:
With the large number of libraries creating MySpace profiles, I find myself wondering if teens want a public authority such as a library on their friends list. Does a teen feel pressured into adding the library on their contact list? The teen that just “added you” may have done so to be polite, but is actually annoyed that the library will be able to view their personal profile.
I have met young adults that refuse to add the library onto their friends list. “Um, I don’t think you want to KNOW what is on MY PROFILE”. And that’s okay if a teen doesn’t want to add the library. In fact, I have both a private and professional MySpace, and encourage teens to do the same if they feel splintered between the Library MySpace and their personal MySpace.
But I’ve also run into teens who LOVE having the Library on their friends list. The library is in their top 10, and we banter back and forth with quirky library comments. One teen commented, “OMG…books can be dangerous when thrown at high speeds?! Why didn’t anyone warn me…”. When we encourage these library-related comments, we are accepting teens for their quirkiness and strengthening our library relationship with them.
Still, there are the teens that feel befriending the library would limit their ability to “be themselves” on MySpace. They may dread the thought of the librarian reading profile comments and seeing private photos.
I’m curious as to what other librarians think about this question. Are we invading a teen’s private space when we add them as a friend?
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It is interesting that you have 2 profiles on MySpace. I am anti-MySpace. I just do not really see the point of it when there are other methods of outreach that are not so imposing.
We debate this all the time. That invisible line between teen’s private space and their more public space is not as apparent as it once was.
But as you commented it, it is up to them if they want to add you as a friend or not. I wonder though how many kids use the privacy options where they can approve “a friend.”
Hi Anna. Offtopic: I use to loathe MySpac, but then really got into once the comment love started. I just may be addicted to quirky comments!
The last time I checked, no one had to add friends, even if that friend was “authority,” like the library. What Stephanie suggested would be a good way to counter this– have an account for your personal life, and for friends, and have a different account for school and/or work. It doesn’t even have to be on the same networking site, if you’re that worried about it.
I’m not on MySpace, but I do have a LiveJournal account for my personal use. I’m also throwing together a Wordpress account for my student work and career.
Frankly, the sooner teens learn that they need to separate their personal and professional lives, the better. And the sooner they learn that it’s really okay to say, “No thank you, I have this MySpace account for my friends and my private life,” the better as well. Nothing wrong with protecting your privacy!
But that’s me, and I’m an ancient old woman of 26. I’d appreciate what someone younger has to say.
I have to admitt that I tend to find MySpace imposing, even as an adult. I also have a public and private profile, however, sometimes it’s a little frustrating to keep up with both and I’m not sure about expecting a teen to open up two accounts just for the sake of the library/school. Perhaps most of them would welcome the chance to open another account and choose another template, etc. But there are times when I feel that we’re desperately trying to chase teens around “here, look see we’re cool, we have a myspace acount”. I realize that this is all done in an attempt to reach teens and let them know that we’re here for them but I can imagine myself at that age, and I know that I would have found this sort of thing annoying and probably would have been put off by it.
[…] There’s an interesting discussion on the Alt. Teen Services weblog about whether having a MySpace account to reach teens is more imposing then it is beneficial. Apparently some teens are voicing a distaste for this because they don’t want authority figures like teachers and such on their profile. If it were me living as a sixteen year old in this day and age, I can honestly say that I would probably be one of those teens who just finds it annoying to have a library on a personal social networking profile. I would probably perfer to use a regular RSS agregator to keep up with library news. In a way, it’s sort of akin to getting together at a coffee shop with a bunch of friends and then being constantly interupted mid-conversation by a sales clerk from the Gap who wants to tell me about the latest deals on t-shirts. Although our presence on MySpace has to do with channeling information, we’re also there because we want to appeal to the teen age group. I realize the many benifits of MySpace when it comes to reaching teens, but there are also times when I feel a little like that kid in high school who’s constantly trying to prove themselves to the “in” crowd by adopting all their same interests, rather than just making friends by being themselves. Perhaps, this isn’t necessarily what we are setting out to do, but when I put myself in the shoes of today’s teenager, this is how I feel we come across. […]
OK. I know of a librarian that hosts a MySpace for her teen groups, but the teens are VERY active on the MySpace. The teens particpate in decorating and adding content to the Teen MySpace. It’s basically a big social outlet for teens to meet online, in between library programs. I think if teens are involved in the creation of the MySpace, it might work better because it’s THEIR choice to have and particpate in the Library MySpace.
[…] Source: yalibrarian.com […]
I think people have brought up good points by saying that teens don’t have to add the library to their friends list if they don’t want to.
I also don’t think teends limit themselves as much as we think they would when they have the library as a friend. At least the teens in my area don’t. They still act like teens.
We have a MySpace account, and I do have a few teen “friends,” but what I mostly have are author “friends.” I have thought that same thing about being “friends” with kids and whether or not they’d want to be “friends” with the library. However, I think a lot of them check stuff out without adding us, which is the best possible compromise. They read the blogs if they are interested, and I don’t have to worry about seeing their creepy goings-on!!! I provide the authors there for the kids and keep posted that way myself. It’s great!
I’m a little confused?
Why make a problem when there is none? Surely people only ask to be your friend — on myspace or anywhere else — if they want to be. Nobody forces anyone to be anyone elses’ friend! And the myspace is a great way to get all sorts of information out. Teens can check the myspace to find out about upcoming concerts and other events, as well as having a one stop site for their favorite authors, artists and musicians — an online library, for when they can’t get to the “real” one.
Also, the myspace gives them a fun new way to complete their community service hours — if they want to. Again, nobody is forcing anybody to do anything.
In my experience, myspace has been only positive. And I don’t hunt down teens, I let them come to me, IF they want to. And I really don’t have time to read their pages — unless they ask me to. Sometimes, some of them genuinely want my opinion about something.
Just my 2 cents….
BTW, if anybody likes Wizard Rock, please come to the concert this weekend!
Like others have said, no one forces you to accept a friend invite. And IIRC didn’t myspace change it so that teens have to invite you and adults couldn’t invite teens anymore? So if the teens are initiating the request, then I really don’t see a problem.
And most of my friends are authors and other libraries. I probably have less than 10 real teens friended.