Kidzworld
Common Sense says
Parents say
Kids say
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this website.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the Kidzworld social networking site lets tweens and teens to communicate with people they don't know, but uses humans and software to protect kids' privacy and safety. Admin/mods also patrol the chat room on a regular basis -- although the chat function is available 24 hours a day, and the site doesn't clarify if it's monitored round the clock. Staff moderators approve photos, videos, and articles kids post and write. (There's a lot of kid-produced content on the site -- and plenty of ads.) Filtration software monitors comments, forums, and blogs and passes flagged content onto staff members for approval, but parents should bear in mind that no filtration software is perfect; in addition, private messages don't appear to be screened, so questionable conversations could possibly occur.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Nope, never ever again
bad but ok?
Inside Kidzworld
What's it about?
KIDZWORLD is basically an online social network where kids can communicate in a presumably safe environment. (The privacy policy pledges the utmost safety and protection of personal information, and there are strict chat rules.) After the free registration process -- during which parents are notified of the child's intent to join, if kids are under 13 -- kids can create a profile, chat, friend and send messages to other members, send emails, post articles, upload photos or videos, and play games. They can also read about topics like global warming, health, personal style, and project ideas; or check out reviews and blogs, or read or send a question to an advice column.
Is it any good?
There's no shortage of things to look at on this content-packed site -- ranging from user-submitted poems to stories about topics like chocolate and music, quizzes, chat rooms, and games. The items kids find on Kidzworld are directly in line with teen and tween interests; they also get a chance to get personally invested in the site by sharing photos, creating a profile bio, and expressing themselves through articles, forum posts, or by chatting with other users. Generally, the site provides a safe environment; its moderators seem to go to great lengths to ensure privacy and safety, and the content appears pretty tame. However, teens and tweens still have their moments -- they get annoyed, express sadness, criticize each other's opinions, and share other strong emotions -- so there's no guarantee some comments or behavior won't be offensive or objectionable to certain kids, or their parents.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about online communities -- and the safety issues involved when you participate in them. What information should kids include in their profile, and what should they leave out? Do most users seem to obey chat room rules?
Talk to your child about making friends online. If a stranger friends you, what kinds of things are OK to talk about? What types of questions or statements aren't OK?
Encourage kids to express themselves by reading site posts together and then creating one of their own. What recent event or feeling does your child think would make a good post?
Website details
- Subjects: Hobbies: building, collecting, cooking, fashion, sports
- Skills: Creativity: producing new content
Self-Direction: initiative
Communication: friendship building
Collaboration: respecting other viewpoints
Responsibility & Ethics: following codes of conduct, honoring the community, respect for others
Tech Skills: digital creation, social media, using and applying technology - Genre: Social Networking
- Pricing structure: Free
For kids who love hanging out online
Our editors recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.