Common Sense Media Review
By Dana Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Find and share info on this interest-based social network.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
MrOwl: Inspire & Collaborate
What's It About?
To use MROWL: INSPIRE & COLLABORATE, first sign up for an account via email, Facebook, or Google. Watch the video. To create an interest-based branch, tap the plus sign and tap Create Branch. Choose a related picture, add a title (e.g., Pets) and a description (e.g., cute photos, grooming tips, and pet website reviews). Then tap Make Branch Public if you want others to see it. Add subtopics, links, photos, and more. To send messages to other users, tap Messages, and to search for other people's branches about a specific topic, tap Search and type in keywords. To view trending branches, swipe along the top of the main home screen.
Is It Any Good?
A social networking app based on and sorted by user interests is a promising idea, but it may take some time to reach full potential. At the time of this review, MrOwl: Inspire & Collaborate is relatively new and doesn't have a whole lot of depth. It feels more like a marketing tool than a user-curated information sharing experience. The developer indicates that it will get "wiser as more people use it." If that's what happens, it could become an excellent place for teens and adults to discover more about their personal interests, meet people who share them, and organize links, photos, reviews, and more. If it doesn't reach a critical mass of engaged users posting meaningful content, this app could be just another social media platform mostly for marketing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how MrOwl: Inspire & Collaborate may help them explore their interests and learn more about them from other people who are interested in the same topics. Ask them what sort of information they're looking for on sites like this and how they know that what they're contributing is useful to others.
If MrOwl: Inspire & Collaborate doesn't have a lot of info on the topic your kid is interested in, encourage them to check out more social information sharing sites. What are some other social media sites for teens?
Talk about other ways that teens can find information on their most compelling interests. Are there interest-based groups at school? In the community? What about library resources, or local mentors who may work in a related field or just know a lot about this topic?
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
- Subjects : Hobbies : collecting
- Skills : Communication : conveying messages effectively , Collaboration : cooperation , Responsibility & Ethics : making wise decisions , Tech Skills : social media
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : September 29, 2017
- Genre : Social Networking
- Publisher : MrOwl.com
- Version : 1.0.12
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 8.0 or later; Android 5.0 and up
- Last updated : February 16, 2020
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