Bossip

Review

Common Sense Media says

Gossip blog about African-American stars is mean-spirited.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Bossip is a gossip blog that reports on black celebrities in the news. Unfortunately, a lot of the coverage is dedicated to hating on those celebs and spreading nasty rumors, à la PerezHilton. There's lots of strong language, sex talk, homophobia, and stereotypes about gender and race. Teens looking for harmless gossip about their favorite stars should go somewhere else.

  • Positive messages0
    Not all of the content is negative -- there are some posts that celebrate celebs' talents or discuss ways they're contributing to the community. But the good stuff is overshadowed by some really vile content. There are posts that "out" celebrities and mock people's appearances ("This over sized tangerine fruit was spotted at an ATL event"). And the site spreads unsubstantiated and hurtful rumors -- like the allegation that Chris Brown hit Rihanna because she gave him herpes.
  • Violence1
    Covers news about violent crime.
  • Sex4
    Pretty graphic sex talk ("my p---y" is up on D's stick") and discussion of technique. Lots of very sexual photos but no total nudity, although one post shows naked photos of a celebrity (which were leaked to the press) with the genital area obscured.
  • Language5
    Stronger curse words are censored in the forums, but anything goes in the comments, including "motherf---er," explicit sexual slang, and even some hate speech.
  • Consumerism2
    Lots of ads, including a pop-up; has a store that sells T shirts. Promotes celebrity culture but doesn't necessary promote materialism.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    Some mentions of pot, cocaine, and other drugs in stories. "Henny without any coke" -- the site's tagline -- refers to Hennessey liquor.
  • Privacy & safety3
    Users who register can email other users, but email addresses are kept private in this exchange.
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Is it any good?

 

Billed as “gossip for the hardcore,” BOSSIP is a frequently updated blog that focuses mainly on black celebrities. You could describe the site as a guilty pleasure -- admittedly, it's sometimes fun to read salacious stuff about stars -- if it wasn't so quick to mock people for being overweight, gay, “slutty,” etc. There's some good stuff -- exclusive photos, videos, and interviews -- but it's largely eclipsed by Bossip’s bullying approach.

Online interaction: Some of the forum discussions are friendly and positive, but the comments on posts are largely focused on tearing down celebrities (and sometimes other commenters).

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about why people are so obsessed with reading about celebs' bad behavior. Do you think stars who appeal to kids and teens have a responsibility to be role models? Why or why not?

  • Families can talk about gossip and rumors. How can you determine if the site you're on is a reliable source of information? What would you do if someone started a hurtful rumor about you or one of your friends? Parents can caution teens against the pitfalls of "oversharing" on social sites.

This review was written by Susan Yudt

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This review was written by Susan Yudt
Genre:Blogging
This review was written by Susan Yudt

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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