Parents, Watch Your Teens Using "myYearbook"

You’ve probably never heard of it, but chances are your middle school student has. It’s a new social networking site for kids called “MyYearbook.”

The site creators claim it’s a way for teens, ages 13 and up, to meet new friends online, but some parents say it’s a site for sex and it’s inappropriate for kids of any age.

“They’re looking for sex. Flat out they are looking for sex,” says Blane Francis, who contacted FOX 31 Denver after he found out his 12-year-old daughter was using the site. “Just as easily as she can fake her age to get on the site, someone could fake their age to be younger and then set up a meeting.”

Francis agreed to let his daughter, who we are not identifying, walk us through the site.

She showed us how to sign up to “find matches,” and be connected to people looking for “blind dates.” Then she scrolled through the dozens of older men trying to meet kids just like her.

One 18-year-old man from Wisconsin sent her a message asking, “how old were you when you lost your virginity?”

Another male claiming to be in his 20s used lewd sexual language to proposition the girl, saying “I wish I could find a girl that gave the perfect B.J.”

Francis believes the website could be used by sexual predators looking to meet little girls and boys.

“There are predators. There are people out there in their 20s acting like they are 18 years old or 16 years old that are looking for hook ups,” Francis says.

“MyYearbook” was initially created by New Jersey high school students as a new and improved online yearbook of sorts for their school in 2005. It became a nationally known social networking site by 2009. In July 2011, it was sold to a Latino social networking site for $100,000,000.

FOX31 Denver contacted “MyYearbook” and requested an interview with the creators of the site and the new owners.

A spokesperson sent us a statement, which reads in part:

"MyYearbook takes the online safety of our users very seriously and has a monitoring team in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week…we devote significant resources to promote a safe and engaging environment.
These efforts include prominent abuse reporting links…technology to scan new registrations…(and) reviewing every new image posted to our servers.”

Still, Francis feels the website should be off limits for anybody that’s 18 years old or younger. His 12-year-old daughter agrees.

“I don’t really know if the guys who are trying to meet me are for real, it’s kind of creepy,” she says.

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