Snopes
Gruesome tales abound on this debunker of urban myths.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this website.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that while Snopes is the authority on debunking urban myths, its content is not appropriate for kids. In fact the site asserts that it's for adults: "Urban legends are expressions of adult fears and concerns and, as such, often convey those messages via stories that are unsuitable for children." But since children might be tempted to verify urban myths, too, we recommend supervision with this site.
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What’s It About?
If you're wondering about the verity of the latest Internet scare or computer virus, Snopes has likely sorted the facts from the fiction. As one of the foremost sites on the Internet for checking out urban legends and other e-truths or lies, Snopes takes pride in uncovering the reality behind stories circulating around the news and Internet. The site uses a rating system to indicate truth, falsehood, part true, part false, or undetermined. Thousands of stories are categorized by general subject -- everything from \"freakish fatalities\" (odd ways to go) to \"drug horrors\" to \"gruesome finds of corpses and assorted body parts.\"
Is It Any Good?
Helpful as it is, Snopes is not a site that kids should be visiting unsupervised. While some of the stories have a ghost-story like quality, many are sexual, gory, crime-related, or very, very strange and may be upsetting for young kids and teens. If your kids want to verify a story, either preview Snopes first or read it with your child and discuss it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why some Web sites that your teens might hear about often on the Web or in the media may still not be appropriate for them to browse unknowingly. A lot of the political and pop culture material on this site is informative, but wander off that mainstream path and you might find some images and stories that you wouldn't want to know about.
Website Details
- Subjects: Language & Reading: storytelling
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: investigation, thinking critically
- Genre: Educational
- Pricing structure: Free
- Last updated: March 6, 2017
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