Parents' Guide to

There

By Jacqueline Rupp, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

3-D virtual world can be creative, inappropriate.

Website http://www.there.com
There Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

Community Reviews

See all
age 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

DOLLY18
DOLLY18 Parent of 6 and 15-year-old
February 11, 2011
age 17+
dont work

This title has:

Great messages
Bobbi62
Bobbi62 Adult
May 4, 2009
age 13+

An adult perspective

There.com is billed as a site for teens, but there are plenty of adults who spend time in here. It's a large enough world, with enough different places waiting to be colonised, that adults who want to create a calm oasis in which to chill and caht can freely do so away from the teenage party areas. For me it's a way to relax away from the pressures of real life, and I've made virtual friends with people from all round the world. Great. Of course, escapism has other interesting sides. I can be whoever and (more-or-less) whatever I want in the There.com world. So I can have a wonderful waterside home with fields and mountains out the back; and the cost of renting the space and buying the goods is likely to feel modest to a middle-aged person. On the other hand - I could pretend to be a teenager (which I'm definielt not) - and so the usual precautions about on-line safety that you'd apply to MSN or Bebe are still important.
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

THERE.COM combines all the popular teenage hobbies -- chatting, video gaming, and shopping -- set it in a visually spectacular (if not slow) fantasy world. Visitors are able to create their own avatar, a realistic-looking persona that's fully customizable. (Want a bigger bust or a smaller butt?) They then can travel through various settings (from the moon to an exotic jungle retreat), chat with other avatars, and play games. Homes can be fully furnished and there's usually always a party going on somewhere around the sight. Avatars talk to one another through comic-book style bubbles and can even do actions like wink, hug, or kiss.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

Although much of the site is pure fun, there are some questionable aspects. Chatting has guidelines in place that prohibit explicit language, but take away the filter, and an avatar is free to swear up a storm. Sharing of personal info, although advised against, isn't full proof -- and avatars often link to their personal pages in their profiles. Many teen-targeted companies sponsor various events and rooms; it's not blatant advertising and may be easier to influence teens. Also, because everything looks so real, teens might have a tough time separating virtual reality from the real world. And with the many layers to the site, it can easily become a time-consuming pastime. Users can go from just chatting to buying and renting virtual property, selling items, and hosting events. It's a fantasy world almost-come-to-life, but just as in the real world, there are precautions that need to be taken.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why a virtual reality site appeals to teens? How do people act differently in a chat room versus real life? Why do we need to virtually experience doing something that could be done in real life? Is it easier to make friends as an avatar rather than as yourself? Also, families can discuss what information is OK to give to other people online? What should never be shared?

Website Details

  • Genre: Educational
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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 suggesting a diversity update.

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.

See how we rate