If you have a MySpace page there could be numerous reasons why you would like to make your account private. This is especially true today when there are numerous concerns about security and privacy issues related to MySpace pages. Of course, that is no reason to avoid using the site. MySpace can be a great place to make new friends as well as chat with current friends. If you are concerned about privacy and security issues; however, there are some steps you can take to protect the privacy of your information.

First, it is important to understand that while there has been some controversy over the issue there is no need to lie about your age on MySpace in order to make your profile private. Be aware that lying about your age on MySpace will subject you to having your page deleted. If you would like to make your profile on MySpace private there are other steps you can take to do so.

It is also important to understand that your basic profile page will still be apparent on your page. This means that certain information will be available to anyone even though your full profile will be marked as private. Information on your basic profile that will still remain visible include your gender, age and location. Your full profile, containing more in-depth information will only be accessible to MySpace members who you have marked as your friends.

In order to make the full profile details visible only to your friends on MySpace, you will need to login to MySpace and then click on Account Settings. Once you have done that click on Privacy Settings. From this page you have a number of choices regarding who you want to be able to see your profile.

For example, you can choose the following:

My Friends Only
Public
Only Users over 18

You can also make decisions from this page about other types of privacy settings. For example, you can make a decisions for friend requests to require either a last name or email. You can also hide online from this page and choose whether you want your birthday to be shown to your friends. Keep in mind that with this last option it will not change the fact that your age will be revealed to anyone on your basic profile page. It will; however, keep your exact birth date from being revealed to anyone and that can be a good security decision to make. Remember that with just a bit of information, such as your name and birth date, anyone with less than honorable intentions could play havoc with your private information. This is really all it takes for your identity to be stolen.

Other privacy selections you can make from this page include allowing only your friends to see your blog comments and to choose no bands for your friends requests. You can also block users who are under the age of 18 from contacting you, if you so wish.

While you can certainly make your full profile private, as described above, it is always a good idea to keep some basic safety pointers in mind when posting any information on MySpace. First, keep in mind that although you have set your full profile to private as well as your blog comments it’s still a good idea to exercise caution about what you write. Never write anything that you wouldn’t want strangers to know about you including personal information or any information that would make it easier for someone you don’t know to find you. Also avoid posting any information that might come back to haunt or embarrass you later.