Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this social networking site with a conscious has made a big effort to be safe. Users over 14 must be invited -- and be students or recent grads and have an .edu address -- to post a profile. Users can make part of their profile private, and approve or delete postings to their pages. MTV says it regularly monitors the postings and that users can report bad language or other abuses; either they're both uber-vigilant or the site's subject matter just doesn't lend itself to abuses because Think is really clean (bad language is as tame as a stray "WTF").
Families can talk about Internet safety with social networking sites. Our Top Ten Tips for Kids for Viral Media is a great resource, but these questions should get the conversation started: What information should you include in your profile? What should you leave out? How do you know if you can trust someone online? What can you do if you feel like someone is bullying you or wants to meet you in person? Also, families can talk about some of the hot topics the site covers such as Plan B birth control and religion. What are the issues that come up around them? Why do people disagree about these subjects?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Erin Brereton
As MTV says, THINK.MTV.COM is a different kind of social networking site. Teens learn about issues that are affecting the world with videos, songs, and PSAs -- frequently posted by MTV VJs and music celebs -- about education, immigration, and other topics. The site also offers ways for teens to get involved (online petitions, a volunteer gig finder, and voter registration link) and ways to connect with each other. User profiles can include photos, videos, messages, and list campaigns and organizations members support. The site's also in the process of creating a reward system, which will add "think" badges to profiles and offer prizes. Think's upbeat, encouraging tone inspires with snippets like "you are the best-informed, most technologically-advanced, inspired, on fire, creative generation this planet has ever seen." When MTV phrases it that way, even if you don't dig the music channel's programming picks, it's hard to argue with its Internet focus -- empowering teens to spend their online time tackling world issues instead of IMing friends about the latest Britney blunder.
Kids that are socially-conscious can also visit YouthNoise.com. Younger activists might enjoy GlobalGang.org.
Reviewed: 10/11/2007
Rate It!
| Content | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS | adults | kids | ||
Sexual Content |
 |
|
||
ViolenceSome images (from the Associated Press and other news sources) show teens injured in a shooting; other still images feature guns. |
 |
|
||
LanguageMonitoring catches bad language. "WTF" is as strong as it gets. |
|
 |
||
Message |
|
|
||
Social Behavior |
 |
|
||
Commercialism |
|
|
||
Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoWhen mentioned, the substances are discouraged. |
|
|
||
Educational ValueTeaches kids about issues that affect the world. |
 |
|
||
