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Wikihow (http://wikihow.com)

common sense media says

Sometimes-iffy wiki teaches collaboration -- and skepticism.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this wiki is easier for kids to contribute to than Wikipedia or eHow, but can be just as error-prone. It also contains some mildly objectionable material and sexually explicit Google ads. However, the ads can be turned off and kids can find lots of fun projects to undertake, even writing their own how-tos. Parents might want to supervise, though.

Educational value: Kids can learn a lot by both reading this site and contributing to it. Many of the thousands of useful how-tos are kid friendly such as how to snowboard and do magic and science tricks. Kids who like to write and share what they know can post a how-to with a couple of clicks and receive constructive feedback. Not all how-tos and exchanges with others are positive but mature teenagers can handle the negative bits. 
Positive messages: This site promotes respectful collaboration and can give kids a sense of accomplishment. It's to be commended for fostering teamwork and banning sexually explicit how-tos and any that promote hate, violence, illegal activities or profanity. However, the quality bar could be set a little higher. Though they are
in the minority, the articles Wikihow allows that do glorify irresponsible, immature or negative behavior keep it from the highest rating here.
Violence: No murder or mayhem, but some of the how-to fight articles teach mild vigilantism, such as “How to beat up a bully.”  How to kill characters in popular video games is also covered. 
Sex: Sexually explicit and sexually “charged” how-tos are prohibited, but this still leaves plenty of room for some dicey stuff; for instance, numerous variations on “How to be a hot girl.”  Videos are not overtly sexual but can have adult content including one in which a young woman uses a cucumber to demonstrate the correct way to put on a condom. In another, a nude female with strategically placed long hair teaches “girls” how to “look good naked” when sitting and walking.
Language: The site seems pretty clean, in keeping with the no-profanity policy, but some strong language slips through in how-tos that contain modern song lyrics (e.g. “F--k me on the dance floor”) and in the forums and article discussion pages where user exchanges can get heated. Discussion pages that contain swear words such as asshole carry reader warnings but there is no profanity filter option. Ironically, the site features how-tos on circumventing profanity filters by inserting punctuation or running words together.
Consumerism: Advertising is not intrusive but the Google listings can be X-rated. For instance, clicking on an article about blocking Internet porn generates a gaggle of Google links leading to porn sites. We don’t normally recommend that kids register with a site if they don’t have to, but registering here is a no-brainer. It doesn’t require sharing any personal information and it hides all ads except the 30-second spots that play before some of the how-to videos. These all seem to be G-rated mainstream commercials for yogurt and the like.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: How-to articles on recreational drug use are banned but drinking and smoking entries are not. The majority of the these are of the admirable "how to quit" variety, but some promote dangerous behavior ("How to chug beer") or spoof bad habits (“How to drink beer while running a marathon.”)
Privacy & safety: Kids can remain anonymous, even if they submit entries, and block emails from other users. If they write a how-to they would later like to remove, they can do so if it's within a day or so of posting. If the entry has already been edited by others it can't be deleted, but authors can remove their bylines at any time. Though kids as young as 13 are allowed, this site provides no controls for parents.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Wikihow

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about how wikis are by their nature not completely reliable sources of information. How can kids know when information is trustworthy and when it is wrong? Where can they doublecheck their research? (See our tips for using Wikipedia.)
  • Families can also talk about respecting others' opinions even if we do not always agree.

  • Discuss why some entries that do not promote a healthy lifestyle or attitude are allowed to stay on Wikihow. How can kids respect free speech while using their own common sense?

     

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Despite iffy content here and there, Wikihow is actually a pretty good choice for kids interested in collaborative writing because it's so accessible and relatively safe. Kids can post articles anonymously and do not even have to submit an email address to participate. There's valuable experience to be gained here in learning how to research, write and edit coherently. There are also lots of great how-tos here for kids, too, like making a yo-yo. The most objectionable aspect of the site are the adult-oriented Google ads that can pop up from time to time.These are easy to turn off, though.

Online interaction: The site’s goal of producing high-quality how-to articles encourages contributors to support and treat one another respectfully as they trade edits. Peaceful collaboration seems to be the case for the most part, but kid contributors might have to deal with the occasional dustup including rough or angry language.  

This review was written by Carla Thornton
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

icematthew14
teen, 14 years old
4
 
There is a lot of good and a little bad. Very educational. Kids can learn a lot. GREAT WEBSITE.
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Lizzy2
parent of 3 , 5 , 5 , 7 , and 8 year old
13
 
15 or 16+ but definetely not 13!
I use this website often, but my children, I have decided, are not allowed on until the age of 15 if they decide to join and if of course, the site is still active. When contributing, mant users get upset when they are corrected and start using innapropriate language. However, I will print out articles for my kids that are age appropriate and well cleaned up. This website should be for ages 15 or 16+ because this stuff could be innapropriate for 13 year olds.
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kid, 12 years old
17
 
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teen, 14 years old
17
 
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kid, 11 years old
17
 
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smallfry99
kid, 12 years old
11
 
Brilliant Idea =]
Great Site, Really Good. It Tells You Everything You Need (Or May Need) To Know How To Do. Like If You've Fallen Out With A Friend, Just Search "How To Make Up With A Friend". It Tells You How To Keep Diaries Secret, How To Do CPR, Things That Might One Day Be VERY Useful To You. Even Extreme Situations Are All Covered. I Signed Up And I've Never Had Any Issues With The Site. I Love Contributing To Articles, It's Brilliant Fun If You Like Giving Advice.
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kid, 12 years old
2
 
(i was stuck in the computer since 1, back in the computer since 4 or 5. iffy for 0,) 1 is a fine age but to post on wiki prolly around 12 or 13, to post is iffy for ages 12-17. And, Yeah, I don't recommend posting comments 11-. I watched dora since almost 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
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teen, 14 years old
2
 
(i was stuck in the computer since 1, back in the computer since 4 or 5. iffy for 0,) 1 is a fine age but to post on wiki prolly around 12 or 13, to post is iffy for ages 12-17. And, Yeah, I don't recommend posting comments 11-. I watched dora since almost 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
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kid, 11 years old
2
 
(i was stuck in the computer since 1, back in the computer since 4 or 5. iffy for 0,) 1 is a fine age but to post on wiki prolly around 12 or 13, to post is iffy for ages 12-17. And, Yeah, I don't recommend posting comments 11-. I watched dora since almost 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
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LaLa567
teen, 16 years old
9
 
I write articles for wikihow!
I write wikihow articles and I can tell you, all the writers I came across are all friendly and we all try are best to make the website good.
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