Parents' Guide to gURL

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Common Sense Media Review

Erin Brereton By Erin Brereton , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Frank girls' site has advice, fun, and iffy stuff.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 12+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 12+

Based on 19 kid reviews

Kids say the website offers a mix of valuable information and controversial content, particularly about sex and relationships. While some users find it educational and helpful for discussing important issues faced by teenage girls, others criticize it for promoting negative behaviors and having a liberal bias, deeming it inappropriate for younger audiences.

  • mixed reviews
  • educational content
  • promotes controversial topics
  • not suitable for all ages
  • biases in viewpoints
Summarized with AI

What's It About?

Packed with informative articles, interviews and more, GURL.COM is divided into six sections. Connect hosts interactive elements; Find Out features facts on topics like acne and alcohol; Play has daily horoscopes, quizzes, and a cool make-your-own game function. The Show Off section houses more than 150 teen-friendly comics, React has polls, and the Explore section neatly groups the content by topic. Membership -- required to post anything -- is free. Users can view and react to video clips from news shows and other outlets; they also can (and do) also ask other users for advice via the boards or through the site's advice column. A daily blog also covers sex topics.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 3 ):
Kids say ( 19 ):

It may take users their entire gURLhood to try out all the sections on GURL.com, but it's worth the wait. The site's tone is spot-on -- conversational and frank -- and longer sections are broken down into easy-to-digest sections. It tackles tough, emotionally- and politically-charged topics like eating disorders, bisexuality, and abortion with a refreshing honesty, so the site isn't appropriate for very young users, but rest assured: The subject matter is presented in a nonjudgmental way without a hint of sensationalism that's perfect for teens.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about safety online. Why isn't it safe to post a suggestive photo of you or your friends online. Who sees that photo? Even if you are using a username, why might it be dangerous to have your image online? Also, what other personal stuff is taboo to share online? What is OK to post?

Website Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

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