Comments on: Myspace keeps its Walls high

By: PodCamp Montreal « New Media Montreal

PodCamp Montreal « New Media Montreal — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:21:20 +0000

[...] utility, is doing it wrong. David Usher started an interesting discussion about it on his blog, CloudiD, last [...]

By: Andree-Anne

Andree-Anne — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:39:15 +0000

its really painful that we have to confirm that we want to leave myspace.com
i understand well why though, after seeing so many account spammed in a fake myspace log in window. it was, personally a bit frustrating as i was working on making a myspace an official website, linked to external html pages. whatever, its less views for them. (as if i ddnt knew im a water drop in a huge sea)

myspace is full of restrictions in what you can do, and its probably the most spammed website. and to my opinion, they’re trying to become “facebook” as they should had focused on their “musical” vocation.

By: STORMY

STORMY — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:26:32 +0000

YA MYPSCAE SUCKS..I AGREE WITH BLAISE. I ALMSOT HAVE GIVEN UP ON IT FINALLY..

By: Brenda Lynn

Brenda Lynn — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:34:03 +0000

The more opinions I read the more my theory makes sens in my own mind

By: Blaise Alleyne

Blaise Alleyne — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:25:14 +0000

I think it’s incompetence, more than it’s any real attempt to create a walled garden.

The intent is security. If you click a link to an external site, first you have to click through some stupid page warning you that you’re going to an external site. So, MySpace tries (and obviously fails sometimes — no big surprise there) to convert all external links you enter to something that will be routed through it’s “are you sure, moron?” page first.

Why does MySpace feel it necessary to do this when no one else does?

I think they’re just incompetent, and they’re treating their users like idiots.

By: SvetLana

SvetLana — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:00:43 +0000

If you retype your link by hand, you can just enter “space” btw http: and // (like this: http: //…)
It wouldn’t be clickable, but the link will saved.

By: yvette

yvette — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:33:31 +0000

@Shannon. It is very frustrating! I thought links were supposed to make it easier to go places quicker.
I agree that there is too much spam now on myspace.
@David. Have you thought of an alternative?

By: Shannon

Shannon — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:26:44 +0000

I noticed this too! So frustrating! Converting the links and asking for confirmation to go elsewhere is one thing but disabling the link altogether and disabling html in bulletins etc does seem excessive. Especially considering that i still get much more spam and messages from phished accounts on Myspace than I do on the comparably “insecure” facebook!

By: Madison

Madison — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:19:01 +0000

Yes, myspace does this link-change thing for security. Typically the external link is not removed altogether - its converted into a “myspace” link which (in theory) remains active, but also makes it harder for phishing scams. Sometimes (especially with the tiny url) the link just dies.

Their reason for this has been addressed by “Tom” and in the myspace tech forum, there’s a bounty of articles online but, anymore, just the word “myspace” gives me a headache.

I know phishing was a huge problem before, but Tom and the folks over there seem to have secured themselves into oblivion - making myspace impossible to use as the social “network” it was meant to be.

an article about the phishing thing:
http://www.bestsecuritytips.com/news+article.storyid+486.htm

By: Brent Morris

Brent Morris — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:23:41 +0000

Completely removing an external link to stop phishing scams seems a bit excessive.