| 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 clearinghouse for Flash content posts uncensored, unedited user-generated content and is for enthusiasts only. The site's legal terms stipulate that kids 13-17 are supposed to have parental permission to join the site, and anyone under 18 is banned (in theory) from looking at the Adult Features section, but there's no real safeguard to ensure those rules are followed.
As the original and largest Flash portal on the Web, NEWGROUNDS.COM is a giant clearinghouse of user-generated Flash games, videos, art, music, animation, andmore. Most of the content is submitted by members and voted on forrankings in "best of" lists.
Active discussion boards span a range of topics, from Flashprogramming and politics to well, everything else under the sun.
Newgrounds.com definitely lives up to its motto of having "Everything by everyone." Unfortunately, "everything" means a lot of images and conversations that many parents won't want their teens exposed to. But once kids are on this site, there's little stopping the onslaught of content -- the good, bad, and ugly -- from coming their way.
Hundreds of submissions are uploaded daily and much of it is high-quality stuff. The content is so vast inboth Flash submissions and on the forums and clubs that it's anyone'sguess what young Flash enthusiasts will come across. If Flash-lovingteens really want to view the appropriate portions of the site, parentsmay need to dig here with them to avoid the content land mines.
Families can talk about why excessive violence in movies, games, and images can be harmful for young viewers. Discuss what level of violence your family is comfortable with. Also, talk about the honor system. If a site says you have to be 18 to view certain features but all you have to do is click a button stating you are 18 (even if you're not) what stops you from doing so? What are some positive reasons for following such guidelines? Teen: What do you think about restrictions like that?
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