Word to the wise MySpacer

One feature of MySpace considered very cool to some of its young users is that they can customize their spaces not only esthetically but also functionally. They can add free software code (downloadable from sites out on the Web or from fellow MySpacers) to "enhance" it. One type of code people are adding "spies" on people who come to their profiles. Here's where a heads-up is needed, according to the Washington Post. "Be sure to read the fine print when a product like this says 'free,' and don't be surprised if the software is used to spy on you." Also, I'd add, sometimes there's no fine print (only legit code providers would have credible fine print), and there are malicious providers taking advantage of this popular feature of MySpace. Case in point from the Post: "Take, for instance, the latest scam being passed around like a digital disease on MySpace: a message advertising software that promises users the ability to track who is viewing their profile pages. This thing, brought to my attention by the folks at Fortinet, arrives as a Myspace bulletin (bulletins allow Myspace users to send messages to all of their 'friends' simultaneously) and directs users to visit www.myfriendspy.com [don't go there!], which claims the visitor can download the software after clicking on an icon that automatically posts the same bulletin to their friends." What Friendspy does is install spyware on the MySpacer's own PC. If you have someone at your house smart enough to play around with software code, maybe just have him or her read the whole Post piece – s/he'd probably find it interesting. There's a whole new industry of MySpace-related third-party software developing, both legitimate and very shady.