Webkinz User Learns Real-World Lesson
Even on Webkinz, a virtual world considered fairly safe, kids can learn real-world lessons about theft. Webkinz, for the two of us whose kids haven't yet clamored for them, are plush pets that come to life in a virtual world after their new parents have "adopted" them. The site's target age range is ages 8 to 13, but the site does have plenty of users as young as 5 and 6.
One of those is Brittany Wallman's daughter Lily. Wallman is a reporter at the South Florida Sun-Suntinel who posted her daughter's first Webkinz user name and password on the newspaper site's parenting blog. What resulted was a lesson in Internet safety for all involved, particularly 6-year-old Lily. Someone took that information and stole Lily's furniture and money.
By all accounts, Webkinz is considered a safe haven online for kids. But even there -- and in most cases without a parent posting log-on information -- crime happens. "Thefts go in spikes," said Susan McVeigh, communications manager for Webkinz's parent company Ganz. "When we hear about it -- in the majority of cases -- it’s kids sharing their passwords." In some cases, kids lure each other with promises, like "I'll give you furniture if you give me your password." In others, kids share their passwords with a sibling or a friend only to have an argument a week or two later. And what results are some real-world lessons gone virtual.
"It doesn't sound to an adult like losing your special food or cash is big, but to a child it's big," McVeigh said. "So that's usually one of the big [pieces of] feedback we get." The site does not replace stolen goods, and most parents aren't averse to their children learning safety lessons in the virtual world, she added.
The social networking worlds our children inhabit -- be it Webkinz, Club Penguin or Nicktropolis to name a few -- require an extra parental vigilance. From the earliest ages, children need to be taught not to share personal information online, says a joint government and technology site called OnGuard Online. If your kids are playing on Web sites, you should check them out as well. Consider using parental controls. Keep the computer in a public place where you can look over their shoulders. See who they're chatting with online. Teach them to only chat with people they know in person and how to talk online without over-sharing information. And if your child is younger than 13, remember that privacy policies should allow you to review and delete your child's profile.
Have your kids been burned by sharing online passwords with friends or siblings? Have you encountered any other difficulties with children's virtual worlds? If so, how have you handled the ensuing "crisis?"
By Stacey Garfinkle |
September 30, 2008; 7:00 AM ET
| Category:
Safety
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Comments
Posted by: WhackyWeasel | September 30, 2008 10:14 AM
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fr the article:
>...What resulted was a lesson in Internet safety for all involved, particularly 6-year-old Lily....
What business does a six year old child HAVE being on the Internet in the first place???
Posted by: Alex511 | September 30, 2008 12:24 PM
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Wow, what an example of vindictive parenting. The mom whose kid got a "lesson" not only posted her child's username and password on the web (in a post complaining about the existence of Webkinz), but then she basically suggested that someone steal her daughter's online stuff.
I don't see why, if the mom was so against Webkinz, she couldn't just let her child accept the stuffed animal without mentioning the website. Or, I dunno, saying no when her daughter asked to take the toy online.
Posted by: newsahm | September 30, 2008 1:38 PM
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Wow - I can't access the links, so I didn't know that the mom (using that term loosely!) posted her child's info on purpose! I wonder how that impacted the child's trust in the one person who is supposed to protect her. I am with newsahm - how vindictive and really just b!tchy.
Are there so few comments today because of the registration requirement or because this topic is just not generating enough controversy?
Posted by: VaLGaL | September 30, 2008 4:06 PM
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Here is what the mom posted first:
"The game is educational I suppose. But so is going to the library and checking out five books.
Should I be writing in her babybook that her first logon name was "crystal5pink'' and her first password "babydolly5''?
And now that you all know her secrets, will she get on the website to find that someone has broken into her bunny's "apartment" and stolen the "pink couch" out of his "bedroom"? Will you get her bunny fired from his "job" "painting fences"?
Please, parents, help me find that perfect Christmas gift for my cousin this year."
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And here is what the follow up was:
"I tell you all of this to warn of the danger of sharing your logon and password with any friends or cousins. Or newspaper readers.
I shouldn't have published Lily's logon information, huh?
Did one of you make Lily cry?"
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I think there are so few comments because this was a pretty lame topic.
Posted by: dennis5 | September 30, 2008 11:05 PM
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This article on Roots & Sprouts deals with this same issue (scroll down to see, I think it is the 2nd item):
http://www.rootandsprout.com/20543/20701.html
Kids (and parents) just plain shouldn't give out their passwords or other information online.
Posted by: nvamom | October 2, 2008 8:42 PM
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The blog Roots & Sprouts had an article on this same topic:
http://www.rootandsprout.com/20543/20701.html
Kids (& parents) just plain should not give out their passwords or other info online.
Posted by: nvamom | October 2, 2008 8:45 PM
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The blog Roots & Sprouts had an article on this same topic:
http://www.rootandsprout.com/20543/20701.html
Kids (& parents) just plain should not give out their passwords or other info online.
Posted by: nvamom | October 2, 2008 8:45 PM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
Aw, poor little Lilly. Maybe her stolen furnature will be on sale at a severely discounted rate on Ebay!