www.twitter.com)

common sense media says

Great social tool, but use the privacy controls.

parents & educators say

40% say there are positive messages

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.

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.

Positive 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 applicable.

Sex: Teens can search Twitter, which can yield tweets (posts) with sexual comments and links to porn sites.

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

Consumerism: Twitter currently allows advertisers like Starbucks, Red Bull, Virgin America, etc. to advertise through "promoted tweets," which means users might see brief ads that could include offers of free merchandise or discounted services. Twitter users can also sign up to "follow" feeds that offer discounts or other consumer deals. Celebs, business owners, and media outlets all use Twitter for self-promotion.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Some users talk about getting drunk and doing drugs.

Privacy & safety: There are options for making tweets private (friends only) or public, and also an option that allows tweets to go out with location information. Public tweets will turn up in Google searches, and if someone tweets your kids' names publicly, those names will be surfaced in a Google search. Also, the Library of Congress archives all public tweets. This means that public tweets are being preserved indefinitely and may be used for research purposes and put on public display. Twitter's Tweet With Your Location feature allows you to add your location along with your posts -- although to use it, you have to opt in. There are no parental controls.

Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

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?

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.

This review was written by Susan Yudt

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Based on 295 parent & educator reviews:

40% say there are positive messages

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crazy19
kid, 13 years old

What other families should know

Twitter (http://www.twitter.com)

common sense media says

parents & educators say

What parents need to know

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What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Is it any good?

Is it any good?

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What parents & educators say

Most useful reviews by all members

IT IS GOOD TO LOOK UP CELEBERTIES

the best

Depends!

i am 14 and i love 2 chill and hang out with my friends and if you want to ask any thing just ask

A pretty good social tool, and more private than Facebook.

for all ages exept over 12

i think this website is for 12yearolds and up

vvvv

Tweeting is awesome

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