Imbee is a social networking site designed specifically for children aged 8-14. Along with allowing youth to chat with their friends, they can also blog, share photos, and earn points which can be redeemed for prizes and rewards.
The Internet is a powerful and essential part of our society. While it contains potential dangers, it is also a valuable and indispensable tool. imbee kids will learn real world skills, such as reading, writing, problem solving, and social interaction through an interactive and challenging environment. But, most importantly, imbee is fun! Kids will meet their classmates and neighborhood kids online, to do what the big kids do, but at their own pace and in a safe and forgiving environment.
Imbee is a product of Industrious Kid, Inc, a company that just opened in March of 2006 with the mission to develop “kid-friendly and parent-approved online products and destinations for kids and tweens, allowing them to gain positive experiences with the Internet in a safe environment.” Imbee is their first product and only one to date, but it sounds like they have plans to offer many more.
Obviously, the solution of offering an alternative “safe internet” is preferable to censoring the internet we have, and I like the fact that parents have to be involved with the process, and can see what their kids are up to. But kids need to learn how to deal with the real world too, and sheltering them from every little thing now means they’ll just be that much more disillusioned and/or vulnerable later. If parents are going to be involved, why don’t they get involved with the social networking sites already out there? If they explain to kids the dangers of the internet, and tell them to be careful of creepy stalkers and dangerous situations, wouldn’t that work as well?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m well aware that the “adult” internet isn’t perfect, pretty, or fully-clothed most of the time, but that’s nothing that a little active parenting couldn’t fix.