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  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Filters don't prevent exchange of personal info.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–18

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Not an issue.
 

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Allows teens to hone their friendship-making skills online -- but it's also a place where being rude is easy as there are no real-life, face-to-face consequences.

  • Violence:

    Violent content isn't allowed, but creative posters may be able to sneak something in.

  • Sex:

    Blatant sexual content isn't allowed, but creative posters can alter word spellings. There's a lot of "U R a hottie" talk.

  • Language:

    Profanity isn't allowed, but creative posters can alter word spellings to sneak in a "fu" or something much worse.

  • Consumerism:

    Teens are encouraged to earn ZBucks to go shopping for their avatars. Members can use real-world cash to pay for virtual goods.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Zwinktopia

Parents need to know that although you have to be at least 13 to sign up on this popular social networking site, it's not appropriate for young teens. As they roam around the virtual world of Zwinktopia, kids can pick a place to go and chat with other avatars (or Zwinkies). Filters automatically replace bad words with "(bleep)," but there are ways around it -- typing "fu" instead of "f--k you" or "ssseeexy" instead of "sexy," for example. People can be harsh and say mean things or just simply walk away. They can also divulge personal information (age, location, MySpace page, e-mail address) in a matter of minutes. Teens are encouraged to earn ZBucks -- or use real-world cash -- to go shopping for their avatars. When they're not chatting, kids can also play harmless games that actually require a bit of concentration and hand-eye coordination in order to earn ZBucks -- a form of currency needed to buy your avatar new things.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about social networking safety. What kind of information should be off limits, and what's OK to tell people? How can you report someone who's being rude, abusive, or inappropriate?
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Our Members Say

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See all 46 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    deenaszx
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • User content is age appropriate

    so good

    love it jakeey

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    babyluvkia
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    • My highlights are:
    • User content is age appropriate

    perfect for teens

    loveit

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  3. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    MRS.SANMARTIN
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 3.0

    good

    havent played yet

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  4. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    awesomegurl12
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language
    • Safety is an issue

    • My highlights are:
    • User content is age appropriate

    love it! just love it!

    i love this website, it's awesome in every way! ive had my account for a while now and love it. my wardrobe is unlocked and i have a zcard. this website is sooo awesome! you can talk to your friends around the virutal world, and my best friend is on there! you can dress your zwinky and change your body type from a hottie to a cutie, there are filters you can easily get around though, and you can get hacked as you can on any website. i love it, but not for everyone.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  5. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    che che
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0

    chezron

    dkuvas,dvuixvnzx vxn x vs,dvhxcvj,vhcvamdhuvaj,nb

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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