Latest news for 033bc19607000692aaa18c546d64f726.js?ver=1715040687
After reading about the recent acquisition of social networking superstar , I started taking stock of other social networking sites available for kids. I have my long-term favorites like because of its educational mission, and because of their tangible toy / virtual world business model. But after digging through dozens of websites that claim to have a social networking component, I realize that many of these sites apply this term loosely. For example, if a website allows a user to play many different games and activities online, complete with a customized avatar, and allows a user the ability to see other user's avatars in games, without communication occuring between community members, does this constitute a social networking environment? If the communication occurs outside of a virtual world's website, in the form of an email to and from members, does this mean such a service has a social networking component? I assembled a list of kids' social networking websites I'm currently watching. Each site has a very defined method of communicating with its members. They include the following:
Site | Ages | Launched | Ads | Cost | How is it social? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 - 12 | Apr 2007 | Yes* | Free / $60 | Filtered chat | |
7 - 14 | Oct 2005 | No | Free / $6 per month | Filtered chat | |
8 - 14 | Jun 2006 | No | Free | All correspondence can be parent approved | |
8 + | Nov 1999 | Yes | Free / $7. 99 per month | No chat / Filtered chat | |
6 - 14 | Jan 2007 | Yes | Free | Canned chat / Filtered chat | |
Teen + | Jan 2001 | Yes | Free / $5 per month | Filtered chat | |
9 - 17 | May 2004 | Yes | Depends on items you buy | Filtered chat | |
8 - 13 | Jun 2003 | No | Free / $9. 95 per month | Canned chat | |
6 + | Apr 2005 | Yes* | $14 or $8 per doll | Canned chat | |
10 - 15 | Mar 1999 | No | Free | No chat / Filtered chat |
- Any site that includes ads and is marked with an asterisk ("*") means that this site has ads only related to the products this company offers (i. e. Webkinz ads are just for other Webkinz items).
- In terms of cost, most sites have a free to use or a monthly fee component. Sometimes these sites have two tiers of service where the paid service offers more bells and whistles. Sometimes a product needs to be purchased instead of paying a monthly subscription in order to reach the higher tiered service.
- How communication occurs with community members varies. "Canned chat" means users can communicate with each other through a short list of pre-approved words and phrases. Nothing else. (Click to see an example of ToonTown's canned chat in action 033bc19607000692aaa18c546d64f726.js?ver=1715040687, or for the history behind the development of this version of chat called "SpeedChat". ) "Filtered chat" relies on software tools to strip out bad words, names, locations, and inappropriate content. Many times a live monitor oversees all communication written back and forth to users, in addition to these software filtering tools. is unique in that any messages that are sent to your child [033bc19607000692aaa18c546d64f726.js?ver=1715040687] have the option of being approved by the parent before being forwarded on.