 | 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. |
Piczo
Common Sense Media says
Social site offers a place for some iffy content.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
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.
What's it about?
The megapopular PICZO.COM provides teens with free tools to build personal Web sites and meet other teens. Members can post photos, video, text (glitter text, too!), and interactive elements including quizzes and chat logs on their sites. The company bills itself as a "safer online environment for teens… empowering teens to build their own personal online communities to share their ideas and experiences with their friends around the world." The site even partnered with WiredSafety.org (an online safety and help group) to create lengthy safety guidelines.
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.
What families can talk about
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?
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- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Fun & easy
It's a fun website, But like any other with user content it tends to get out of hand sometimes.
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AGE
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.
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AGE
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.
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AGE
AWESOME SITE but unfortunatly misaunderstood
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AGE
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.
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AGE
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.)
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AGE
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!
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AGE
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%
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