A logical view of why minors, (13+), should be allowed on SpaceHey.

Some people here keep saying “SpaceHey should be adults-only” or “we need to be protected from minors.” That doesn’t make sense if you know the history of social networks or even SpaceHey’s own rules.

1. MySpace was full of teens (and they allowed it!).
Back in the 2000s, MySpace’s Terms of Service explicitly set the minimum age at 13 years old (see MySpace TOS excerpt: https://web.archive.org/web/20070831075627/http://collect.myspace.com/misc/terms.html). Pew Research found that over half of U.S. teens (ages 12–17) had an online profile in 2007, and the overwhelming majority were on MySpace (Pew Internet Report, 2007: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2007/01/07/teens-and-social-media/). In fact, 85% of teens who had a profile said it was on MySpace. Emo, scene, and music subcultures thrived there, built largely by teen users. Researchers at the time also noted that “the overwhelming majority of adolescents are responsibly using [MySpace]” (Journal of Adolescence, 2007: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140197107000994).

2. SpaceHey follows the exact same rule.
SpaceHey’s Terms of Service clearly state: “You must be at least 13 years old to use the SpaceHey services.” (https://spacehey.com/tos). Anyone under 13 is banned under any circumstances. SpaceHey also publishes a Child Safety Policy (https://spacehey.com/csae) that promises “a safe and welcoming environment for all users, including minors,” with zero tolerance for grooming, sexual content involving minors, or predatory behavior. Just like MySpace, SpaceHey was designed for creative self-expression and explicitly welcomes users 13 and older.

3. Comparing MySpace and SpaceHey.
Both platforms set the minimum age at 13. Both attracted and continue to attract a mix of teenagers and adults. The difference is that SpaceHey actually has more explicit safety rules than MySpace ever did. MySpace only later started banning registered sex offenders (CNN, 2007: https://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/05/15/myspace.safety/), while SpaceHey already has modern policies in place. In short: if MySpace was considered normal and mainstream for teens in the 2000s, then there’s no reason SpaceHey shouldn’t be too.

4. The “safety” argument misses the point.
Safety comes from enforcement, not exclusion. If someone is breaking rules, report them — but don’t erase every 13–17 year old who is already following the TOS. Research on MySpace showed most teens used the site responsibly. The law (COPPA) sets 13 as the minimum age to join platforms like this. Saying “minors shouldn’t be here” ignores both history and the current rules.

5. Teens add real value here.