SweetSearch
By Erin Brereton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Student search engine gives kids credible, relevant results.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this website.
Community Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
I did a search for a naughty word. And... OMG
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Worse Than I Thought
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What’s It About?
SWEETSEARCH is a trustworthy online information source. The 35,000 sites that appear in search results have been reviewed to confirm their content is accurate and appropriate for student researchers. Most of what kids will find through SweetSearch is age appropriate, although news and educational sites could lead them to images of war and suffering. Searching is pretty much all you can do. The site's design is very simple, and the only other information comes from a few homepage links, which leads to sites like SweetSearch2Day, a daily selection of news, history, and other info, and SweetSource4Me, a search engine for younger kids.
Is It Any Good?
SweetSearch provides middle and high school kids with a search engine that suggests safe, relevant site options. Research experts, librarians, and teachers have proactively reviewed the 35,000 sites that may appear in search results to ensure they're a reliable information source. Some options are from findingDulcinea, which was created with a similar goal by the same company; others are reputable sites from organizations like the University of Colorado, the New York Times, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Though sites are pre-screened, kids can still encounter opinion pieces and less credible articles. Kids should continue to use critical thinking skills while gathering research with SweetSearch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about using search engines to find information online. How can you tell if what you find out is from a credible source?
Discuss the difference between someone's opinion and fact. If you find information on a website that isn't from a reputable source, should you check another site to see if the information is true?
Why would it be a good idea to use a site like SweetSearch to look for information instead of another search engine? What kind of sites might you find that aren't okay for kids?
Website Details
- Subjects: Social Studies : events, historical figures, Language & Reading : reading comprehension, using supporting evidence
- Skills: Self-Direction : academic development, working efficiently, Thinking & Reasoning : applying information, collecting data, thinking critically
- Genre: Browsing and Searching
- Pricing structure: Free
- Last updated: November 25, 2018
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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