 | 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. |
Common Sense Media says
Great social tool, but use the privacy controls.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Twitter is a free "microblogging" and social networking site that brings up issues of safety, privacy, and lasting digital footprint. The service allows users to post brief, 140-character messages -- called “tweets” -- and follow their friends' activities through the web, IM, or cell phones. Updates to Twitter appear immediately and, while you can remove Tweets, your followers can still read what you wrote until it's gone. Anything you upload to the Internet -- including Twitter updates -- can linger in cyberspace for a long time. Users can choose to keep their tweets private and individually approve followers, and this is what we recommend for teen users. Twitter is increasingly being used as a promotional tool for products and celebrities, though users can limit their exposure to ads and promos by keeping their Twitter circle among real friends. Users can choose to post their location along with each Tweet, which raises privacy and safety concerns, but users must opt in to this feature.
Is it any good?
Twitter can be great for keeping in touch with friends, or keeping up with what's going on in the world -- especially trends in technology and breaking news. Twitter attracts a lot of web-savvy users, many of whom are developing services that enhance Twitter -- like a search engine and a round-up of the most talked-about topics. But Twitter is not for kids. The ability to post anything you want to say can get kids in trouble if they say something in the heat of the moment. Also, the service's location-sharing features make it too easy for kids to post their whereabouts, which can lead to face-to-face meet-ups with strangers. Finally, Twitter allows kids to receive tweets directly from celebrities they admire, like sports stars, actors, and musicians. These messages can be extremely influential to impressionable minds (and are very often promoting products the celeb is getting paid for).
Online interaction: Online interaction can be a very mixed bag. Twitterers often engage in ugly, public fights, or use the service to cyberbully.
What 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?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
i realy like this site. my mom signed me up so when she was out of town she would not have to keep calling me. she could just send me a D.M on twitter. i also follow my favorite singers, actors/actresses, authors, and tv shows. just watch who your kids are following. its only inaproppriate if you search inappropriate stuff.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 11 years old
June 6, 2010
AGE
i think i love it!!!
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
IT IS GOOD TO LOOK UP CELEBERTIES
IT IS USEFUL
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
i am 14 and i love 2 chill and hang out with my friends and if you want to ask any thing just ask
i love it i can meet new ppl that i want 2 meet bt i dt lik really any saleability it you talk about them its okay bt come on they just ppl just like us bt only they have money and they can sing so plz if u talk 2 me dt talk about them unless i am talking to them witch i know that will never happen so yea!!!!!!!!!!
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
A pretty good social tool, and more private than Facebook.
Facebook is a better tool for connecting, but Twitter is really good too. It's also more safe; Facebook requires to put your full name (on Twitter you can just put an initial) and Facebook also allows you to put your street address down. The only reason I highlighted safety as an issue is because you can post your location with each tweet. Users might get ticked off at the 140-character limit, which can either create thinking (how can I make my tweet into only 140 characters) or brain-dead tweets (I was going to post something stupid but CSM said I was spamming, LOL). All in all a great social network; definitely worth the trouble for some inappropriate content (you can find quite a bit of sex, violence, drugs, alcohol, and profanity). And it can yield some nice users and even a little bit of educational value.
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Genre: | Social Networking |
Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.
Review It
Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings. We value your feedback.
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already visited it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
