 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
99Problems
Common Sense Media says
News site with good intentions but some iffy content.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that kids may encounter mature content on 99problems.org, including language, news articles dealing with violent issues, and an occasional video with nudity. Kids can post comments on any of the news articles without registering. They're just asked to enter a name and e-mail address; without having to first select a username, there's a chance kids could enter their real name and identify themselves to other site users.
Is it any good?
99PROBLEMS.ORG was launched in 2009 by The League of Young Voters Education Fund, which encourages young people to vote and create change on a local and national level. The site serves as a sounding board for users to learn about and comment on current news, with content ranging from video clips and links to news articles about topics like women's rights in Saudi Arabia, immigration, and police brutality.
Some of the articles are great -- topical, informative, and written in a conversational, friendly tone teens can identify with. However, the design could use some tweaking -- there's a lot going on with the site's homepage, including a column of posts that seems a little too long. Also, some of the site content, such as a video someone took on their phone of a naked man, really miss the mark -- and aren't appropriate for younger users who've come to the site for news (not nudity).
What families can talk about
Families can talk about why it's important to be informed about what's going on in the world. What news topics interest you?
The site covers a variety of topics, including criminal justice, being green, and immigration. What kind of problems in your community -- or country -- are you concerned about?
How can you tell the difference between stories from traditional news outlets -- like the clips posted on the site from "Good Morning America" and other TV news shows -- and videos that are not from reputable news outlets (like something a person uploaded from their cell phone)? Is "news" from citizen journalists valuable?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
| Genre: | Civic Engagement |
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