Social Media: MySpace and Facebook

MySpace and Facebook came about after I was out of high school, and for that I feel very lucky. My sister is a sophomore at Crown Point High School and I have seen some negative issues arise out of these social networks.
First, it becomes an arena for students to bully each other, bad mouth each other, and generally just be "mean" to each other. My sister had a boyfriend, and apparently another girl at school liked this boy as well. She went on MySpace and cussed and bad-mouthed by 15-year old sister for the whole school to read. In high school we were all the victims of, or the "spreaders" of gossip and rumors, but these social networks have brought it to a whole different level.
Second, I see young girls posting pictures of themselves as if they are ready for a night out with Paris Hilton. Although they have the option to make their page "Private", there are still issues of disgusting online predators. It is hard for teachers and parents to control this media because all the children need is internet access and they can get into their MySpace account...it doesn't have to be at home or school. In addition, I have a nephew, who at age 13 insisted he was entitled to have a MySpace page. After his father said "No" and made him cancel it, he created a new account under a nickname.
Finally, the last issue I have with social media usage by young students is the fact that it can degrade their character without them even realizing it. As an adult, I realize after graduation when I go to elementary schools to apply for a teaching position, I probably should not have a MySpace page with pictures of myself drunk floating around space. Younger students may not understand that pictures and videos can last forever. Even at 16 years old you should think about future employers (as 16 year olds get jobs too). We need to remind children that these are all public medias, regardless if you have a "Private" profile or not.