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Famster (http://www.famster.com)

common sense media says

Safe, stranger-free blogging & more for families.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that kids are supposed to be 13 to join the site and agree to its terms and conditions. Got younger kids? Set up the site on their behalf and give them the member password (or better yet, surf with them!). Macintosh users are cautioned that the site runs slowly using Mozilla. Check the FAQ for more hints on how to speed up the site when using a Mac.

Educational value: Managing a family site like this one takes real organizational skills.
Positive messages: Not applicable.
Violence: Not applicable.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Famster

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about which family events to write about, what theme of wallpaper to use next, who to give the member password to, and so on. And then there's the ever-popular question: What does dad's nose really look like, and what's the best way to represent that in his online caricature?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Although Famster is easy to use, it does require some time to set up. You need to register in order to build your own Famster, then set your administrator password (different from the member password) and decide on your security and safety parameters. This could be a good time to gather the kids around and decide what to offer on your family site and which of those features should be public and which will be for "members only."

Although the site offers a nice selection of components, it's not without its flaws. For instance, you can't add "alt tags" to the photos -- something that's needed to make your family site compliant with accessibility standards. You also can't see or adjust the raw HTML either, but most users won't care.

This review was written by Jean Armour Polly
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

jally365
kid, 13 years old
 
i cried! laughed!
i think this will be a great idea but please dont let other people do bad things to me please and do i have to pay and thanks for having this web sit far kids i cant thank you inof um how do you send things to other pepole now please send me back somthing like anything please i relly want to have a emaqil sent back now thank you bye send me somthing back
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helped me decide (12) | had useful details (12) | read my mind (10)
ilovefamster
adult
 
I Love Famster...Except When I Don't
I have a family web site at Famster. While I love the: - Private online networking space for your family and friends, - Lack of advertising, - Easiest-to-use blogging tool, and - Unlimited space for photos and videos I am frustrated by some of the “obvious” things they can do to make the site more intuitive and user- and visitor-friendly. That’s why I’ve launched my blog at ILoveFamster*. Through it, I share what I think is both fabulous and frustrating about Famster. If you are a current, former, or potential Famster user, stop by and share your thoughts.
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was this review useful?
helped me decide (10) | had useful details (8) | read my mind (9)

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ON: Content is 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
Our child development rating guidelines