AllyKatzz.com
Safe tween blogging site fluffy, but very clean.
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Seen the site?
details
- URL: http://www.allykatzz.com
- Entertainment Value: Medium
Parents need to know
Parents need to know that this site is a safe way for tween girls to blog -- and read other blogs. The girls who are registered here can't post any identifying information, including name and city, or any photo of their face, home, or school. Site administrators hire college students to monitor all posts and photos. Talk is highly tween-ish and scores much higher on the tame scale than most other networking sites.
Families can talk about the pros and cons of blogging and discussing their lives with other tweens they don't know in real life. What does it mean to not be "mean" on this site? Do you agree with the "three strikes and you're out" policy? Are most of the posts positive or negative? Families can also discuss how companies can create, advertise, and sell products based on the blogs, quiz, and poll responses of this site's users.
Families can talk about the pros and cons of blogging and discussing their lives with other tweens they don't know in real life. What does it mean to not be "mean" on this site? Do you agree with the "three strikes and you're out" policy? Are most of the posts positive or negative? Families can also discuss how companies can create, advertise, and sell products based on the blogs, quiz, and poll responses of this site's users.
Message
Social Behavior:
Site says all tween girls "except mean girls" are allowed. Most girls who post here seem to follow that rule. Get three strikes -- for things like mean talk, inappropriate language -- and you're kicked out.
Consumerism:
Ads for movies, books, music. The site encourages users to sign up for its group "AllyStreetKatzz," which is a vehicle to collect market research from those who participate in contests and polls sponsored by companies that target tween girls. Parental permission and home address required.
Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:
Educational Value:
This site is for tweens to connect with other tweens for fun and support, not for education. Many posts focus on pop culture, tween boredom, boys, and buying.
Violence
Sex
Lots of relatively tame tween relationship talk: I like this boy, does he like me? He likes me, his best friend likes me, my best friend likes him. He's two years older than me, can I date him?
Language
Site hires college students to read every post, so there's no trash talk.
Common Sense says
What's the story?
Reviewed by Dana Villamagna
If you're a girl 9 to 15, you've got a place to blog on ALLYKATZZ.COM without the usual worry of cruel responses, questionable language, and sexual banter that often happens on other social networking sites. Started in 2005 by the tween expert from MoreMagazine.com and her daughter, this free site reports that it's fully monitored by college students for language and other safety concerns.
Is it any good?
Unfortunately, what does show up on the site is lots of movie star, boyfriend, and tween angst comments. And there's the undercurrent commercialism yuck factor that data is being collected from participating girls for marketing and research purposes to sell them more stuff tweens "really want and need" (like makeup, clothes, cell phones and gadgets, the site says). But, overall, Allykatzz.com offers girls a home on the Internet to air their thoughts and experiences in a safe environment.
Nuts and bolts
- Playability: Easy to medium
- Reading Required: Medium
- Graphics: Photos
Other choices
Parents and kids say
All Reviews
There are 3 reviews.
Adult Reviews
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Kids Reviews
There are 3 reviews.
What do your kids do online?
Surf
34%
Homework and research
19%
Download music
10%
Chat with friends
37%
132 votes