The July online issue of Converge! includes an article on safer alternatives to online networking sites such as My Space and Facebook. The listed sites have additional safety features such as the need to provide a parent's email address or profiles that can only be accessed by confirmed friends. The best safety feature is still parental involvement and monitoring. The address of the Converge! article is http://www.convergemag.com/story.php?catid=231&storyid=100129, but an excerpt with the safer sites is copied below:
"Whyville, which features roughly 1.7 million users, is an online virtual world in which users, most of whom are 8 to 15, must manage money, balance their diet, and participate in activities ranging from science and math to art, civics, and economics. Users create a virtual character with real-world abilities and can communicate with others in this virtual setting. Children must provide a parent's e-mail address when registering for Whyville. When children complete their registration, an e-mail message is sent to the parent, notifying him or her of the new registration.
Christian social-networking site MyPraize's safety features include optional profile fields, so users can decide how much personal information they reveal. First and last names are not required, and an additional section is being created that will inform parents which safety precautions are available on the site.
FAQQLY, which launched in April, provides users the option of making all personal pages viewable only by confirmed friends. The site's central feature is a "Personal FAQ" page where friends can get to know each other better through Q&A sessions. "
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