Opinion: MySpace Confidential

By Jen Houghton
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I am obsessed with MySpace. For my age, I feel that logging in once a day is too often. If asked how often I “space,” I would deny it, I would lie.

Social-networking sites are not necessarily inappropriate or signify a level of immaturity, but some are definitely for specific demographics and people make it very clear which ones they use and which ones they wouldn’t be caught dead on.

MySpace caters to a young crowd from teenagers to people in their early thirties with an occasional mid-lifer here and there.

Those who mock MySpace would sooner give away their pet than delete their Facebook account.

Many professionals scoff at Facebook while logging onto LinkedIn twice a day. The shame isn’t in how often you use a site but which you use.

LinkedIn is a professional networking site, which, as described by the site, “summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients and partners. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you.”

Sounds a lot more grown up than “Hey, like your pics. Add me!”

Just as I feel that my automobile misrepresents my age and status, I’m beginning to think that I need to upgrade to a more adult networking site. Since deleting my MySpace account and joining LinkedIn is a lot cheaper than a new $30,000 auto loan, I’ll start my transformation into a grown-up online. I guess that means I should send out a “I’m-Deleting-My-Page” Bulletin this afternoon.