Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this Web portal for girls 7-12 is a safe place to explore. The topics and style of the articles are kid-friendly, and to submit a photo, parents must mail in a signed minor release form they download from the site (although to submit advice questions or content kids must include their age, telephone, address, and email). The site also features games from kid-appropriate site Novel Games that users can send to friends after entering their friends' and their own email addresses (Novel Games says nothing is recorded or distributed). There is a link on several pages to the Girls Choice boutique where kids can get all kinds of company apparel and gear.
Families can talk about which personal things are safe to put on the Internet, and which aren't. Is it safe to post something if you only use your first name and no email address? Why would the site require parental approval for photos?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Erin Brereton
Girl power personal networking portal GIRLSCHOICEINC.COM was designed to offer kids an outlet to learn about individuality. There's no boy banter -- instead, the site tackles subjects like art, sports, and culture with short articles for girls age 7-12. The site promises frequent focus on a panel of girls who will write, post photos, and otherwise contribute, but so far, the panel (and site's social network) is just three strong. It's too bad, because the brief pages that list each girl's life story are some of the site's most interesting -- and original -- sections. The site's content is mostly from other sources: A link to CafePress.com allows users to purchase Girls Choice apparel; Surveymonkey.com provides quick quizzes on healthy eating, hygiene, and fashion (containing questions about favorite fast food eateries and stores that sound eerily like marketing research.) Even the games come from another site. However, GirlsChoiceInc.com is fairly new; its calendar and subscription sections aren't yet active, and the site is asking for reader questions and stories, so more new content may be on its way. Hopefully, we'll see a lot more because even though it encourages girls to be themselves, the site seems to still have a little self-exploring of its own to do.
For other sites that provide positive content for girls, check out It's My Life or GoGoddess.com.
Reviewed: 12/14/2007
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Social BehaviorGets girls talking about important issues such as health. |
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CommercialismFrequent references to where to purchase logo gear with links to the online store. |
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Educational ValueContent isn't plentiful, but what's there is good -- health, advice, smart surveys. |
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