The layers of myspace.com

By: American Decency Staff

“… It is very possible for a Victoria Secret ad to appear on a church site. We continue to look for technologies on our filter that block the bad on MySpace but not the good. However at this point it is not possible. …” Steve Ensley, CEO American Family Online.Questions and answers regarding MySpace with Steve Ensley, Chief Executive Officer of American Family Online, based in Niceville, FL. Q and A — Question: My husband and I were just talking last night about MySpace. We don’t use it in our home. We were wondering if the filters like BsafeOnline and others can be set up to block out anything that our eyes should not see from MySpace, or do you have to set it up to block the entire site. We are considering and praying about approaching our pastor and elders regarding our church’s MySpace website. Thank you for all the emails you’ve sent on how MySpace can affect us in an unholy way. D.W. Answer: Unfortunately, MySpace is one of the very difficult sites (by design) for filters to partially block. The links and menus are set up so that a everything is dynamic and you have to go through layers to get to most of the material. Unfortunately the good stuff is at the bottom layer meaning you have to go through the upper layers first. Even on the lower layers there are MySpace controlled ads that will appear with no control from the user. It is very possible for a Victoria Secret ad to appear on a church site. We continue to look for technologies on our filter that block the bad on MySpace but not the good. However at this point it is not possible. Wish I had better news. Thanks for asking! God bless! – Steve Question: If ‘Christian’ pages are indeed sporting ads that send a mixed message, I would agree with your position, although I suspect most viewers would understand that such ads may not be under the control of the page owner. I would think MySpace would be sensitive to things like that, but I don’t know. I do not access MySpace, so I don’t know how it works – but not for any reasons of yours. I simply don’t waste time on stuff like that. I have my own website, and, hence, there are no ads of any kind on my pages. However, as I have said – you cannot control MySpace any more than anything else on the internet – you cannot effectively boycott them like you can a brick and mortar business. For every page you succeed in taking down, there will be someone else who couldn’t care less about your ‘standards.’ bcw Answer: We are NOT trying to close down MySpace or even boycott MySpace. We are telling Christians to avoid MySpace because it is dangerous and totally contrary to how we should live as Christians! You even mention one item your self – time wasting. As followers of Jesus we should not be wasting time, especially on a site so full of immoral behaviors and materials. If Christians would stop using MySpace it would shut down from loss of revenue, but our goal is to help people be holy. Scripture says “be holy as He is holy. (1 Peter 1:15). Steve Personal note: We are living in a day where many have become desensitized to the profane, to the unholy. Many have not sat under leadership that has warned against the profane. May it not be said of me – that I do not know the difference between the profane and the holy and that I do not urge those I know and love to shun that which is profane and to pursue that which is pleasing and honoring to Him. Consider the following verse: “Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.” Ezek 22:26 Bill Johnson July bulletin insert https://americandecency.org/resources/bulletin/2007/btnjuly07.pdf Donations accepted: https://secure4.afo.net/ada/main.php?f=donate/display9 American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 PH: 231-924-4050

---