Facebook has a much better reputation among librarians than Myspace. Myspace seems to have been a meeting ground for very young kids over the years and it reached a point in 2006 that we were forced to block access to this site on our public computers since youngsters were instant messaging amongst the various groups and preventing others from doing homework and other assignments on the internet computers. Some of the profanity from the middle school aged kids when we did this was pretty ferocious. Once upon a time, long ago, it used to be kids talking incessantly on the phone. Now, the instant messaging craze has replaced that communication medium.
Another big problem in recent years has been the very real threat criminals using the Myspace social networking medium to lure youngsters for sex. I can't dismiss the negative press and fears that have been created by the misuse of this otherwise excellent tool.
I read a story in the trib a few days ago about Facebook being "in trouble" because too many old folks (like us) were signing up.
Libraries could benefit from social networking, but I don't yet know enough to say whether Facebook or Myspace would be preferable.
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