Tweens Browser (http://tweensbrowser.com)
common sense media says
Free browser is safe, but not a sub for parental oversight.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this browser is a safe, ad-free window onto the Web for tweens. Racist, pornographic, and overtly violent content -- as well as chat -- is automatically filtered by software. In addition, sites are vetted by a human team of parents and educators. Kids aren't completely shielded from reality -- some of the sites, such as PBS and ABC News, cover the same world events, local tragedies and pop culture as the 6 o'clock news. But in general the sites are fine for kid consumption, and do an especially good job of appealing to older tweens' more sophisticated tastes. While kid-oriented browsers offer parents peace of mind, they won't completely restrict kids from accessing the Internet, either by getting around your computer's filter or doing it at someone else's house. So parents should use kids' browsers in combination with their own rules about safe and responsible Internet behavior.
Educational value:
Choosing from hundreds of sites divided into 10 categories, kids can explore and learn a lot. There are tons of interesting things to see and do, ranging from cute YouTube videos ("the world's largest goldfish") to homework help to grownup sites such as the National Endowment for the Arts. There are lots of games, sports, TV and movie sites, too.
Violence:
Real-world violence seeps into the content on Web sites such as ABC News, which includes the usual stories about sensational murders and kidnappings. The Biography on A&E site includes episodes of "I Survived," a cable show featuring first-person accounts of rapes, shootings, and animal attacks.
Sex:
The browser does not block all sex-tinged news and pop-culture stories, either.
Language:
Not applicable.
Consumerism:
Kids can see but not click on ads, no matter how harmless the product. (Even Disney banners are blocked.)
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Mentioned but not glorified in some news and celebrity stories.
Privacy & safety:
Kids don't have to provide any personal information, and as long as they stay inside the browser, they're limited to Web sites that practice good privacy. However, kids can easily exit the browser to other areas of the computer simply by hitting Alt-Tab.
The prescreened sites help ease parents' worries. However, the browser does not lock down the rest of the computer and, as a matter of convenience, parents can’t add their own sites to the preapproved list. People CD does take requests, though.
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Charlie The Cat
parent of 5 , 6 , 7 , 10 , 10 , and 17 year old
parent of 5 , 6 , 7 , 10 , 10 , and 17 year old
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