Common Sense Media Review
By Erin Brereton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Virtual world with games and some smart parental controls.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 48 parent reviews
Parents say that this website, while initially entertaining, poses significant risks for younger users due to its environment, where inappropriate conduct, scams, and predatory behavior from older players are prevalent. Many reviews highlight that while the site has potential for social interaction and even educational benefits, it requires strict supervision and maturity to navigate safely, leading to mixed feelings about whether it is suitable for children under 15.
- inappropriate conduct
- potential risks
- supervision required
- maturity needed
- mixed feelings
- social interaction
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 190 kid reviews
What's It About?
Teens have yet another place to wander and interact, play games, and shop for items to beautify their avatars with OURWORLD.COM -- a virtual world with better-than-average graphics. Avatars can zip between a coffeehouse, dance club, and theater (among other locations), and wave, dance, and chat with each other via thought bubbles. For the more action-oriented, the site offers dozens of games which range from those based on logic (Jewel Quest involves lining up symbols) to old-fashioned, arcade-like ones (Condor Cowboys knocks bandits off giant birds). Kids can pick their difficulty level; playing any of the games earns you \"flow,\" which is OurWorld.com's \"energy.\" Flow can be used to buy hairstyles and clothes -- and can be used to spin a prize wheel that can generate \"coins,\" the site's currency, which is also used to buy things. Paid memberships ($6 a month or $50 a year) get you access to even more stuff.
Is It Any Good?
Parents have some control over what their kids can do on the OURWORLD site: They can decide whether kids can talk with strangers, friends, or not chat at all when they sign up, and can restrict kids from making any changes to their account settings. A language filter also helps prevent swears from being used in chats. However, the site is definitely geared toward kids who are tweens or older; it can be a little tricky to navigate around, and although many of the 40 or so puzzle, matching, and other games are tame, some action games involve shooting and killing that could be too violent for younger users.
OurWorld should provide some generally safeguarded fun as you make your avatar dance and travel around the virtual world. However, it's unclear if kids will log on for long without wanting to buy one of the paid subscriptions ($5.99-$10 per month or $49.99 a year) to help them rise through the site levels faster and access exclusive areas. There's also a push to purchase gems, one of the two forms of site currency, to get special virtual accessories -- but many kids will still find fun things to do on the site for free.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why it can be risky to chat openly online with strangers. Why is it safer to have pre-scripted responses, or to have some words blocked?
Families can also talk about what type of information is safe to share with others online. Why should you never give out any information that's considered personal, like the town that you live in?
How should you handle an unwelcome invite to chat or an inappropriate comment from another user?
Website Details
- Skills : Communication : friendship building , multiple forms of expression , Responsibility & Ethics : respect for others , Thinking & Reasoning : solving puzzles
- Genre : Virtual Worlds
- Pricing structure : Free
- Last updated : January 17, 2025
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