Meet New People - myYearbook

Review

Common Sense Media says

App for iffy social networking site flirts with trouble.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning0
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that MEET NEW PEOPLE - MYYEARBOOK is the app version of the popular online flirting, entertainment, and social networking website MyYearbook, and has some privacy and safety concerns. MyYearbook is different from Facebook in that the primary uses of MyYearbook are to meet new people and interact with them online rather than to keep up with your real-life friends. Teens, who must be 13 and in high school to sign up, get $150,000 in "lunch money" to use on the site when they download this app to their device; they can use real money to purchase more. They can send messages and accept friend requests, upload photos, and more on the app. Much of the communication has "flirty" overtones.

  • Ease of use3
    The app is easy to use, although teens need to watch the various settings because the default settings could cause them to accept friend requests and other features automatically. 
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex3
    The app's description in the app stores calls it the "#1 flirting app," so it's no surprise that there are many ways to interact, including "flirts," "ask me," secret admirers, messaging, and posting suggestive photos. Interaction may include people kids don't know personally but are in the same zip code. The developers say that all images in the "battles" feature are reviewed by a safety team prior to being posted to the site. The site's terms ban images that contain "nudity (includes thongs and topless females from the back), pornography, sexually explicit, weapons, violence, or drugs." But a lot of photos posted are clearly sexually suggestive, even if they don't technically break the rules. There is a "report abuse" feature.
  • Language2
    The terms ban language that is "unlawful; harmful; threatening; abusive; harassing; tortuous; defamatory; vulgar; obscene; libelous; invasive of another's privacy; hateful; or racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable." But swear words have been observed in the app. There is a "report abuse" feature.
  • Consumerism4
    The site uses "lunch money" to play games and other features, which can be purchased with real money, or can be earned by doing certain things on the site, including sharing photos or information. Members get $150,000 worth of lunch money just for installing the app on their mobile device. There are ads in the app.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    The terms ban posts about illegal drinking and drugs, but references to drinking and partying have been observed. There is a "report abuse" feature.
  • Privacy & safety2
    Several privacy concerns. There are a lot of ways to report abuse, block people from viewing your profile, and not participate in features on this site, but users have to be very proactive and aware. One particularly troublesome privacy and safety concern is the default use of the zip code to identify other site users who live around you -- but who may be quite a bit older (although adults registered on the site can't see profiles of teens) -- and automatically friend them if you don't de-select them. Also, the ideas of the "blind date" and "secret admirers" in the app don't promote the sort of safety rules that make social networking safer for teens.
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What kids can learn

0

Meet New People -- myYearbook wasn't created with educational intent, and we don't recommend it for learning.

Skills
  • Collaboration
  • Communication
  • Creativity
  • Emotional Development
  • Health & Fitness
  • Responsibility & Ethics
  • Self-Direction
  • Tech Skills
    social media
  • Thinking & Reasoning
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Is it any good?

 

MYYEARBOOK says its app is the place for "flirting, making friends, and even falling in love." Many parents would beg to differ. The tools that this app and its corresponding website use to help teens meet people often go against best practices for Internet safety and privacy. The developers say they've handed out safety education information to high schools and there are "report abuse" and "block profile" features; yet, the overall tone of MyYearbook -- whether on the website or the app -- doesn't encourage positive online choices for teens.

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This review was written by Dana Villamagna

What kids can learn

0

Meet New People -- myYearbook wasn't created with educational intent, and we don't recommend it for learning.

Skills
  • Collaboration:
  • Communication:
  • Creativity:
  • Emotional Development:
  • Health & Fitness:
  • Responsibility & Ethics:
  • Self-Direction:
  • Tech Skills: social media
  • Thinking & Reasoning:
This review was written by Dana Villamagna

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This review was written by Dana Villamagna
Category:Social Networking
Platforms:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
Price:Free
Size:9.90 MB
Publisher:myYearbook.com
Version:2.23
Release date:January 3, 2012
Minimum software requirements:iOS 3.0 or later
This review was written by Dana Villamagna

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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