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  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Great social tool, but use the privacy controls.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–18

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    For some users, Twitter and its related applications provide an opportunity to learn about technology, politics, culture, etc. For others, it's purely a social tool.
 

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    As in any unrestricted forum, there are some jerks. The Terms of Service prohibit harassment and abuse, but some users say Twitter fails to enforce this. If teens make their posts public, anyone who knows their user ID can follow them.

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.

  • Sex:

    Teens can use a separate Web application to search Twitter, which yielded some tweets (posts) with sexual comments, and one with links to porn sites.

  • Language:

    Language isn't restricted, so there's plenty of profanity.

  • Consumerism:

    Currently ad-free.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some users talk about getting drunk and doing drugs.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Twitter

Parents need to know that Twitter is a free "microblogging" and social networking site that's quickly growing in popularity. Twitter's Terms of Service prohibit abuse and harassment, but at least one user has reported being stalked and harassed, with no action taken by Twitter. Users post short updates (called "tweets") to their pages and follow their friends' activities through the Web, IM, or cell phones. There are options for making tweets private (friends only) or public. Users can curse or make sexual comments since there are no filters. An application called Twiddeo allows users to upload videos to the site.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about what's safe to post and what's not (e.g. "prnts gone, party @ 123 main st tonite!!"), and why it's a good idea for teens to limit tweeting to friends only. How do you know if you can trust someone enough to make them a "friend" so they have access to your private information?
  • Families can also discuss what's a reasonable amount of time to spend using Twitter and related services, since it's very easy to get carried away.
  • For more information about what Twitter is, check out our tips: What is Twitter?
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  • What did you think about Twitter?

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See all 133 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    egpopmanotigersr ...
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Safety is an issue

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    love it

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    HoustonRocket
    I rate this title on for age 16 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Safety isn't an issue

    Its a great idea.I think someone should have come up with this earlier.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  3. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    BABY gangsta
    I rate this title off for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • User content is age appropriate

    I THINK THIS IS A AWSOME WEBSITE AND I REALY DONT KNOW WAT TO DO ON THIS BUT A GANGSTERS NEED LOVE TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  4. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    BABY gangsta
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0

    perfecke for teens

    love it

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  5. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    BABY gangsta
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0

    perfecke for teens

    love it

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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