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Student (http://www.student.com)

common sense media says

Social site with some substance; use privacy controls.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this social networking site isn't great on privacy. First and last name and email address are required for registration, and they automatically appear on a user's public profile -- teens need to use the privacy controls to hide this info or restrict it to friends only.

Educational value: The site is a mix of useful info and silly stuff. The "services" section includes content on student loans and other school-related issues, plus a long list of Web sites that cover a range of topics. But there are also mindless games and activities like ranking the site's "hotties."  
Positive messages: As with many social networking sites, most users are friendly, but a few are rude or inappropriate.
Violence: Some of the games sound violent (e.g. "Stalker," "Cock Fighting") but aren't.
Sex: Some users have "sexy" profile photos -- although none contain nudity -- and a few post explicit comments ("ooh my god u r very very sexy can you lick my penis").
Language: Some cursing (including the F word and its variants) in profiles and forums.
Consumerism: Lots of ads (including pop-up ads), sponsored content, and links to outside sites. Visitors can purchase promotional T-shirts and "homework help" answers.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: There are a few references to drinking and smoking pot in the forums, but nothing excessive. The resource center includes links to outside Web sites that offer help for substance abuse and addiction issues.
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What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about Internet safety with social networking sites. What information is OK to share, and what information should you keep to yourself? Families can also talk about finding reliable information online. There are a lot of people giving advice in these forums. How do you know if you can trust their opinions or answers?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Student.com has a huge amount of content, but the quality varies. Considering the site's wide reach, the community does a good job keeping forums friendly and on-topic (for the most part). There's an extensive list of helpful resources that focus on health, relationships, sexuality, and sexual orientation; most are respected sources such as the National Institutes of Health and the Mayo Clinic. Less interesting are the boring games, juvenile jokes, and "ur so hot" banter in some of the profiles.
This review was written by Susan Yudt
 
 

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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
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