Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this community site for political news and debate has moderated user-created content. There's no advertising on the site, which makes it an objective, nonpartisan political destination and discussion forums seem to attract those genuinely interest in politics. Users need to be 13 or older to register, create a blog, and participate in the site's safe social networking functions. There are links to other sites such as YouTube.com and CNN.com which may have some iffy content.
Families can talk about the candidates for upcoming elections and their stance on key issues like healthcare, immigration, and the environment. Which candidate best reflects your views on certain topics? What qualities make a good leader? What kind of leader does the country need right now?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Denise Duval
POLITICALBASE.COM has an impressive amount of information, including breaking news updates, blogs, and everything you need to know about election candidates -- their platforms, poll performance, funds, and supporters. It's a place for teens to find the information they need to make informed political decisions, regardless of their leanings. And for those who don't know what their leanings are, there are quizzes on Iraq, healthcare, education, and security to help them figure it. A lot of the content comes from news sources and publicly available data, but there's also a considerable amount of user-contributed content. If you're over 13, you can register and create your own page, where others can access your blog, the posts you've submitted, the stuff you've edited, and see who your Political Base "friends" are. Quality submissions earn you "points" and the more you have, the higher your "rank" in the community.
PoliticalBase.com is a great resource for teens already into politics, but it's also got appeal for those that are less so. The information is easily digestible, the debate lively, and it's a wonderful place to get objective side-by-side comparisons on the candidates, what they stand for, and who supports and funds them.
Other political sites include Ben's Guide to Government for Kids, RocktheVote.org, and YouthNoise.com.
Reviewed: 02/03/2008
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LanguageUser-contributed content is edited for vulgarity and harassment, but there are outside links to personal Web sites and other political and news sites. Most of the conversation, however, stays on topic and is clean. |
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Social BehaviorA nonpartisan forum where anyone can learn more and speak up about political issues |
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Educational ValueKids can learn about candidates and politics. |
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