| 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. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that this nonprofit site aimed at teen and preteen girls has gotten good marks for being one of the safest places on the Web to hang out and that's true: There's no content that parents wouldn't want their daughters to see. However, there isn't that much to do -- no games or fun quizzes, or even a place to sign up and join the "community." Also, a lot of the articles were written several years ago and seem out of date.
GIRLSITE is a 10-year-old nonprofit aimed at providing a safe and positive place for girls online.
By Internet standards, GirlSite is practically an old lady. And true to form, the site seems mired in the early days of the Web. It's clunky and graphically challenged, and worst of all, most of the information doesn't really seem to go anywhere -- either in terms of content or links. There are lots of articles filed in unconnected headings, and most of them were written several years ago and seem out-of-date. And, many of them are written by members with no credentials and no sources.
That said, the spirit of GirlSite is in the right place -- it just seems in need of an overhaul. Though the site claims to have thousands of members, it's hard to find evidence of a vibrant community here, or even a place to join up.
Families can talk about the values promoted by the site, like charity, volunteering, and exploring other cultures. Also, what makes a site interesting? Is it enough that the content be worthy, without flashy graphics, or are both important?
| Genre: | Social Networking |
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