Orange County Register

Uniting parents, Web designer gives them a social shield
by SALVADOR HERNANDEZ

ALISO VIEJO — Think of it as the kryptonite for Myspace.com – a way for parents to pierce through the large online social networking giant and finally understand its ins and outs. It all started as an idea to write a book for parents, a way for them to understand and learn to surf the social networking site that has become extremely popular with teenagers. But Sean Percival, a Web designer, saw that the material was already out there. With the popularity of MySpace, magazines, books and videos sprung out quickly to address such issues as online safety and privacy.

So, how about a central spot where parents can find the material, purchase it and even talk about it?

About three weeks ago, Percival, a two-year resident of Aliso Viejo, launched SocialShield.com, a Web site that provides a way for parents to monitor and understand online communities such as MySpace. The site includes material such as books and monitoring software, as well as tips on how to talk to a child about the networking sites.

As a Web designer, Percival was constantly approached by curious parents asking about MySpace, and for ways to monitor their kid's online activities. "I see stories on this on a daily basis," Percival said. "Never before have people put themselves out like this."It is the simple pieces of information that make parents nervous, Percival said he noticed, the same type of information that a child would not think twice about posting on the Web. It is this type of exposure that leaves parents looking for guidance and some way to protect their children without having to bar them completely from the World Wide Web. For example, many children post basic information on their online profile, such as age, city of residence and school they attend.

Some online communities, such as MySpace, allow users to post online diaries as well. These could let possible predators know the child is having problems at home or at school, and might be feeling vulnerable, Percival said. "The kids that go out there, they don't have an understanding that everyone can see everything," he said.

Online pictures give predators a tool to recognize a child. The name of the school and city can let them know where to find them. Some sites allow kids to post bulletins, where they jot down everything from their day to day activities to their plans for the weekend. Social Shield provides parents with software, books and forums where parents can gather information, such as how to create their own profile and see what information their child has posted on the Internet.

The site also allows parents to communicate with each other through forums. Percival also plans to hold seminars and invite parents to see a presentation about MySpace. Parents will be able to ask questions and see the type of information that is posted online.

Showing parents is the best way of explaining to them what MySpace and other social networks are, Percival said. Every time a parent asks him to explain what MySpace is, he finds himself having a hard time explaining it. But when he puts the site up on a screen, it is easier to just show them.

"It's difficult to grasp the concept," Percival said. The most important thing that parents can do, Percival said, is talk to their kids first.

Many parents overreact and forbid their children from accessing the sites. That makes the children access them through ways their parents won't find out, and therefore make it more difficult to monitor, he said.

"If you tell them 'no,' they will be more inclined to do it," Percival said. "We just want (parents) to understand what it is."Many parents do not know, for example, that they can create their own accounts and monitor their kid's online profile. Social Shield also provides additional material to assist parents, such as words and acronyms used commonly by teenagers. "There are so many buzz words and acronyms that (parents) get lost in it," Percival said. "I want them to understand."Parents can register to the site for free and receive free monitoring software after registration. There are 27 members so far, Percival said.