Removing your child's (or your own) MySpace.com profile

While we get the podcasting working so you can hear the audio files and subscribe to my feed and listen to it on your ipod or other MP3 player or itunes, I thought I would make it easy. So here is the text version of the instructions.

Myspace has two major ways you can remove an entire profile (the content and profile itself). One way is to access myspace.com feeback section and click on "I want to remove my profile"...by supplying your url. They will then send removal instructions to the original e-mail address used to set up the profile and registration. The problem is that the e-mail address might not be working, the password to access it might have been replaced or the e-mail may have been fake to begin with. Even if the e-mail is otherwise working, the instructions are often blocked as "Spam" by your ISP, and never get to you.

So, what's a parent (or myspace user) to do?

We have worked out a process with MySpace.com. (we hope to make it even easier going forward). This only requires that you have the password and login information for the profile, either because your children are cooperating with you or because you have their password.

There are two steps. You remove everything on their profile, all photos, comments, content and posts. Then e-mail customercare@myspace.com with the url of the page and a request to remove the profile. You can also type in the otherwise empty profile "please remove this profile". Then Myspace.com can remove the profile without the code or any further action on your part.

The trick here is getting your kids to cooperate. Many parents write me and tell me that their kids refuse ot give up their passwords or share their profiles with their parents. I suggest that parents remember who pays for Internet access...this is now a parenting issue, not a technology one. Check back for my audio podcast on this, my newest pet peeve...Parents who are afraid to parent.

good luck!
stay safe!
Parry