MySpace agrees to child predator protections

updated 10:47 a.m. ET Jan. 14, 2008

ALBANY, N.Y. - MySpace.com has reached agreement with more than 45 states to add extensive measures aimed at combatting sexual predators.

An official familiar with the multistate agreement said MySpace, the huge online social networking Web site, has agreed to include several online protections and participate in a working group to develop age-verification and other technologies.

The official said MySpace will also accept independent monitoring and changes to the structure of its site.

The agreement is scheduled to be announced today in Manhattan by attorneys general from New Jersey, North Carolina, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement hadn't yet been announced.

The attorneys general have been seeking greater controls for online networking sites to avoid the use of the Web sites by sexual predators seeking to contact children.

There was no immediate comment from MySpace.

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