Piczo (http://www.piczo.com)

common sense media says

Social site offers a place for some iffy content.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this creative site is yet another free teen social networking destination where kids can come across some hurtful and unsafe content: sexual banter and language, images with weapons or violent innuendo, and name-calling and swearing. The personal pages usually stick to routine teen topics like dating, pets, and friends and have insightful commentary on social issues such as racism and religion. But others host sexual photos, personal identification information, and commentary that isn't kosher. There's also some banner ads and solicitations for collecting marketing data.

Educational value: Easy, creative way to start with Web design, network with friends, and share photos.
Positive messages: It depends on the site -- some are positive, some negative.
Violence: Violence is against the site's policy, but some pages include images with weapons or violent innuendo.
Sex: Some sexual banter, language, suggestive photos.
Language: Chats include typical teen online social network banter: name calling and some swearing.
Consumerism: Banner ads and collecting marketing data is why Piczo.com is free to users.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Piczo

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about Internet safety. Once you read through the site's thorough safety page, you can discuss why Internet safety rules still apply on sites like these that promote themselves as "safer." What are the benefits of invitation-only networking? Families can also talk about the pages other teens have created on the site. What do you like or dislike about each one?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
The good news is that kids can password protect their site so only people they give a password to can check it out. The bad news is that kids can link to other kids' sites that may contain content that shouldn't be out in the open for all to see. Guidelines are clear about what shouldn't be posted on personal sites, but how closely monitored or enforced those guidelines are is questionable. At least site rules state that parents can remove their underage kid's inappropriate content or access to the site. Kids (or adults) can also click on the "abuse links" on any page to report inappropriate stuff, and the home page links parents, teachers, or anyone else with the site's administrators.

Even though the tools to create a site on Piczo.com are simple and the personalization options are vast, the quality and content on each user's site varies. Some sites stick to routine teen topics like dating, pets, and friends and include insightful commentary on social issues such as racism and religion. Other users post sexual photos, personal identification information, and commentary that isn't kosher. And, as on most teen social networking sites, some chats include hurtful, rude, sexual, and inflammatory language.


This review was written by Dana Villamagna
 
 

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What parents & educators say

9

Most useful reviews by all members

iheartchocolate198
teen, 16 years old
 
AWESOME SITE but unfortunatly misaunderstood
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

RainbowsnWindows
parent of 13 year old
 
Fun & easy
It's a fun website, But like any other with user content it tends to get out of hand sometimes.

skyheart15
teen, 16 years old
 
Not as good as it used to be, but a useful tool for kids 12+
I agree with LizaSadLiza. (I actually agreed with her posts on the piczo comment page too.) Piczo used to be a great site for kids to make web pages. In fact, I owe my current knowledge of HTML to piczo, which allowed me to learn as I went along by providing both easy-to-use drag and drop options and the option to use your own HTML. However, recently piczo changed. They're trying to make it like MySpace for tweens. However, access to the old site building options is still available. If I were a parent, I would never let a child under twelve go on piczo. However, if you trust your child of 12+ to be responsible, it can be a great way for them to create a site of thier own. I highly recommend site building as a hobby because for me personally it allowed me to learn a skill while expressing myself creatively and working for a long term goal to create something of my own. Therefore, for kids aged 12-15, this site is definately a possibility, depending on the child. (Note: this doesn't mean that all sites made on Piczo are appropriate. Making a site on piczo and browsing site made by others are two totally different thing. Therefore, I added some concerns that are inherent in any site where people can post what they want.)

 
Bad for kids of all ages as it stands now!
I used to love piczo. But not recently! Piczo was always known as one of the safest sites available, but they have ruined that reputation with the "new piczo" as they have dubbed it. There is now open online blogging where anyone and everyone can have complete access. There are no flag buttons to be found anywhere, so now anyone can make a profile anyway they want or whatever and what can we do about it? The staff is being bombarded with complaints because they can't even access their own websites and because of a bunch of other problems there now. But those problems pale in comparison to the obvious safety issues that now exist regarding the young members of that site!

che422
parent of 11 year old
 
Great site for kids of all ages, but requires a modicum of parental supervision.
The site promotes creativity and is a terrific multi-media learning tool -- from the standpoint of kids creating and maintaining a website to those visiting and interacting with them. For instance: koolkidzrox.piczo* Very cute and clever.

DJCOOL
teen, 16 years old
 
Love it

SamiKatz
teen, 18 years old
 
Its an awesome site :-D

valentina10161
teen, 15 years old
 
My piczo page
I have a piczo's and i think it is much safer compared to facebook or my space. you don't have to put pics of you if you don't want to, or give out personal info. Piczo doesn't allow anyone to add you as a friend if you are under the age of 13. I personally think its much more fun cauz you have pages and other stuff. its a place where you get to express your thoughts and feelings. you can change your site's privitcy, to friends or other piczo members or password protected.

311peaceout
kid, 13 years old
 
Good for tweens and teens
Well I think it is approprite for children 11+ because it's a fun way for pre-teens and teens to express themselves.

albion
parent of 17 year old
 
tung si jenii

Lovememore2
teen, 18 years old
 
Perfect for everyone!
It's fun and i think that everyone should be able to use it 100% of this website is very safe and it gives your child/teen the ability to tell their online friends and even friends and family from real life whats going on and it helps your child to message with friends (safe) and put pictures and text and html and music on their very own website! The ages should be 10+ though just because littler kids may not understand it grown-ups can even use it! I love it and i have my very own website, *-watermelonbreeze.piczo*this is just the type of thing anyone can make with a great website maker like piczo*

livelaughlove8424
teen, 14 years old
 
Perfect for 10+...just be careful.
okay..im a 13 year old girl who has used this website a lot. i think its a fun way to interact with friends and have fun! there are some icons that maybe innapropriate for little kids. if you allow your children to make one. check up on what their doing and look at their website once in a while. its easy to share personal information..but thats what you need to watch out for. again, if you let your kid make one, become their friend and make your own. so you can also check up on their website. You can also not have the chatrooms or stuff like that. help your child set it up before you start. but i think if your smart...and no how to use it right then it can be fun (: istarted this when i was like 10. and everything was fine.

Sexylady7621
teen, 13 years old
 
Perfect for any one preteen year's old and up
I love piczo it is a great way for people to freely express their thoghts and feelings onto a piece of paper. So yes, I believe it is a pretty good site. People can advertise and do many things on piczo. I think the only problem with the people on piczo do is put pictures of woman, mostly men really not sexist though so 100%

sexy lexy
teen, 15 years old
 
i luv this sight

Ticole1411678
teen, 18 years old
 
I cried!
i like to make websites because a lot of people go on the computer and they like to play games especially kids.thats why im making this website for people all over the world who have computers.

saini
parent of 18 year old
 

LittleRatersGirl
kid, 13 years old
 
Its ok for 12+
I, personally am 11 years old. I started this website when i was about 8 years old, Still a active user now. I think this depends on your kid. If she/he just wants to own a website or create a blog it is alright and most of the time other peoples websites are also good. But sometimes people use bad manners without thinking. Also piczo zone has a few bad images most of the time eventually deleted. I actually wouldn't approve my kids using it if i was a parent without supervision. Most of the time i am supervised but i was taught better then to go on people i don't knows website. Also i would recommended parents to check their kids piczo websites, Any websites, they are making/visiting kids my age now have gotten mischievous.

xxemolovexx
teen, 17 years old
 
this is just like a site to keep friends posted on things going on, of school sports, or just for random things. i dont see anything wrong with it. any kid that knows how to use a computer, read, and write/type could use it. its just a fun site.

BKOOL96
teen, 15 years old
 
Piczo
Piczo* is a pretty cool website and it has a lot of Gifs and everything that I can use for my Scratch Projects.

 
Appropriate
Some of the things on piczo is Good for children. Most of the time when someone is using piczo the only way you will get bad stuff is to type in the word. Sometimes you come across some where people put many tags like: Girls,boys,kids,family,hearts,sex,piczo,hot,sexy,people,guinea pigs,pigs,site,me,my,all,music. Even some put no tags where it shows up on any search but it's usually not common for it to pop up on another search. Parents should check the child's website now and then and force them to give it to them if they don't force them to tell their friends good-bye. Thats called good parent.

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About our rating system
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