MySpace to offer free parental monitoring software

Despite risking the alienation of young users everywhere, News Corp’s MySpace is offering a free software download that allows parents to see their child’s name, age (which is often faked) and location. On the other hand, it won’t reveal the kid’s profile page or messages, and the user will be alerted when information is shared. A group of 33 state attorneys general are mulling whether to take legal action against MySpace if it doesn’t raise its age limit from 14 to 16. So far, MySpace says it hasn’t found a solution for the request to raise the age limit, but the move to offer monitoring software is likely designed to placate its critics. But the big question is, will MySpacers balk? There’s already evidence that early-adopting teens are moving out of MySpace to sites like Facebook, and time will only tell what happens next. But as Rex on Fimoculous likes to say, MySpace has launched zero new community features since News Corp bought the site. And in the end, it’s the community that matters. (WSJ sub. req.)