 | 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. |
Posterous
Common Sense Media says
Privacy settings and ease of use make blogging site a hit.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the creators of this free blogging tool do not recommend it for children younger than 13. POSTEROUS (POST-er-us) is easy to use but the site contains some adult content not suitable for grade schoolers. Teens should be encouraged to make their blog private and limit readers to a small circle of friends. Though it might be a less popular choice initially, another option is setting up a family blog and letting everyone contribute. Posting is so easy -- simply a matter of shooting off an email with an attachment -- that even grandma could have her say without learning any new tools. Pretty cool.
Is it any good?
Posterous lacks Tumblr’s hip vibe but teens will like two features: posting practically any type of file from an iPhone, and autoposting. Users can post words, photos, URLs, videos, even podcasts simply by emailing attachments to post@posterous.com. The service unzips files, rotates photos and automatically embeds Web players so everything comes out looking and sounding great. The autoposting feature simultaneously updates all the other social networking sites the user belongs to, including Twitter. Currently, the only kind of entries users can make to their blogs on the Posterous site itself are text, but a rep said this would soon change.
Online interaction: Users connect in the usual way: via comments left after blog entries. There is no flagging mechanism for objectionable content or special protections for kids, but the overall tone is friendly. Kids can block comments from strangers by making a blog private.
What families can talk about
What’s okay to blog and what isn't? Even if the only people allowed to read your entries are invited friends or family, kids should choose their words wisely. Read our Social Network Tips.
Families can also talk about how blogging can be used creatively and to share emotions via words, music, and images. For more information on social network sites, read our tips on Facebook for Parents.
Families can talk about screen time, too. Blogging is yet another way to communicate with others electronically, but how much time should be spent reading comments on a computer and how much face time should kids give their friends?
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| Genre: | Blogging |
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