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  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Girl-centric virtual world is safe, fun, shallow.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Not an issue.
 

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    There's a lot of focus on fashion and beauty, and the avatars could use more diversity in ethnicity and body type. Kids could feel rejected if their requests to chat or become friends are ignored. Some of the chat phrases -- like "I'm going to ignore you" or "Leave me alone" -- could hurt kids' feelings.

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Kids can only use pre-scripted chat phrases like "I love to shop" or "What is your favorite animal?"

  • Consumerism:

    A "Jet Setter" (premium) membership costs up to $5.95 per month (less if users are signing up for six months or a year). Kids are frequently prompted to upgrade their membership. There's also a significant focus on fashion and shopping.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About ZwinkyCuties

Parents need to know that this kid-friendly virtual world is a spin-off of teen-targeted site Zwinktopia.com. It costs up to $5.95 per month for a premium ("Jet Setter") membership; kids who have a free account are frequently prompted to upgrade. Parents must activate a child's account and can restrict and permit access as needed. Only safe chat is available, so there's no risk of kids sharing personal information (or using profanity). The site offers comprehensive safety tips for both parents and kids, and users can choose privacy settings for their rooms. Kids could feel rejected if other users ignore their requests to be friends or to chat. Phrases meant to fend off pesky users -- such as "I'm going to ignore you" -- could be used in a mean-spirited way.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about online safety and setting computer time limits. Why is it important to spend time away from the computer? Families can also discuss how kids can apply the social skills learned in virtual worlds to life offline. How would you approach a new friend? What would you do if someone was bothering you?
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Our Members Say

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See all 21 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    jammy1998
    Lives in New Jersey
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive consumerism

    don't waist your time money or enegry on this site

    hate it it was terrible after the first 5 minutes never again

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    keri_hilson
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Safety is an issue

    IDK?

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  3. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Strawberry_Mochi ...
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Negative message

    • My highlights are:
    • User content is age appropriate

    I created an account here and then abandoned it. I wanted to be a jet setter but my dad wouln't pay, and u pretty much can't chat with ppl.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  4. Kid Reviewer Age 8
    octoberskyedream
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational

    I like zwinky.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  5. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    meliana
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    I LOVE ZWINKY'S

    i love zwinky's it's like having a my space or a yahoo

    This review...

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

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