Forty-nine states, including New York, have made an agreement with MySpace.com to beef up security against sexual predators.

Many people use the site for social networking, but law enforcement officials say sexual predators use it as a tool to prey on the young and innocent.

Changes to the site include the automatic creation of private profiles for 16- and 17-year-olds and a special section for high school students. Parents will now be able to monitor their child?s use through their e-mail. There will also be closer monitoring by MySpace staff members and new software to detect underage users.

Brooklyn residents welcomed the announcement.

?Oh that's a very good thing. Anything to limit any abuse toward children I think is very positive,? said resident Joe Brown.

MySpace?s chief security officer said this is an industry-wide problem and everyone must work together on a solution.