Parent tools and Imagination: Club Penguin style

Club Penguin is launching new tools to help parents manage their children’s online play experience. With the update, parents will be able to view account histories, change the password for the account and chat freedom levels, and, in the future, set time limits for play. More virtual worlds, like BarbieGirls.com, are beginning to promote parents’ areas as a unique feature of the game, and some are even charging for the safety tools. With the near-glut of youth-oriented worlds out there, it looks like developers are marketing as much to parents (the ones with the wallets) as kids (the ones with the demands).

“While Club Penguin offers children a world of opportunity to play and use their imaginations online, as parents ourselves we understand the value of making sure kids also spend time away from the computer playing sports and being with their friends,” Lane Merrifield, general manager and co-founder of Club Penguin, said in a statement.

Virtual Worlds News: Club Penguin Launches Parenting Tools

HAHAHA. I laugh simply because - no GREAT IDEA is thought of once, by one person. Great ideas seriously POP into the heads of at LEAST 7 (that’s my estimate) people. The first one to act on that idea gets the glory. I shake my fist at the gods for timing.

Of course, webkinz and Pirates of the Caribbean Online both already have “parent account” areas, but as progression… well… progresses, as do tools, tech, and ease of use. (Besides, Webkinz parent area sucks. Sorry, but it does).

Oh, le sigh. Soon, soon parental controls of tween and younger sites will be customary. Virtual World 101. Expected, typical, demanded. And ya know what? Good. Put some of the control & responsibility back into the hands of the parents. Nice.

I highlighted Lane Merrifield’s statement because I wanted to share something else with ya. Club Penguin & their imagination offerings. I’m telling you, these people have got the magic. Seriously. I used to be freaked (back in the pre-VW youth boom) that the interweb was going to steal the soul of free imaginative play from youth. I was worried that storylines and structured play patterns were going to hinder any freedom. And then I drank the punch and became a VW advocate. And lately, Club Penguin’s population has calmed any spec o fears lying in the back of my brain from those old days of worry. Why? Because I found TWO events going on of free imaginative play:

The top image is a backyard barbecue with family-styled badminton. Badminton? Yes. Badminton. Notice the fence line (net), tennis rackets (badminton rackets), two separate teams broken into two colors. There isn’t a “badminton” animation for the penguins (let alone a tennis animation), but no worries. The kids mind modeled it. How? They throw snowballs, and it looks like they’re serving. One throws it to a kid, the kid then throws a snowball to another, and the game goes on. No winning or losing it seems. Just playing.

The second image is a SPA. Yes. A spa, complete with tanning beds, mani-pedi chairs, A BATHROOM, a pool/hot tub, a healthy kitchen, and a yoga studio. Crazy, right? Okay, okay - I’ll admin. The spa seems a bit complex and there COULD have been adult interaction (parent, staff, etc). I don’t care. Why? Because while I was in the spa, nearly 30 kids went through. That’s thirty sets of eyes and brains that see the possibility and take it as a role model experience. More spas have been popping up too. Imagination, my friends, is addictive to those willing to let go of rules and accept the possibility. Too freakin’ cool.

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Viral Marketing: Adult vs Youth

There were more interesting things than I can begin to recount here, but one that resonated a lot with me was an argument in the presentation Henry Jenkins, Ana Domb, and Xiaochang Li gave where they (among other things) critiqued the concepts of viral and sticky, pitching spreadable as a better alternative.

They said, and I agree, that the goal of creating “sticky” internet sites — sites that hold people’s attention, provide a unified customer experience, provide only top-down information and so on — needs to be (or is being) replaced with the goal of “spreadable content” which circulates among diverse, dispersed people as they participate in social networks and engage in grassroots activity. I’ve talked about this in the context of providing fans with widgets they can export to sites of their choosing in order to spread word of (keyboard?) about whatever it is they’re into.

They also went after the notion of “viral” with its biological language of infection. When something spreads virally — take, for example, the flu — people receive the virus without realizing (and sometimes never even manifesting) it. They pass it on to others without any effort — indeed, if they realize they have it, they have to put effort into NOT spreading it. From a marketers perspective, if you can engineer the perfect “viral” campaign, the people will be powerless to resist. They’ll be diffusing your ideas before they know what hit them.

This creates an illusion of control — a viral campaign will work if we design it right — and therefore feeds into what I see as a dying model of media control in which the big content providers get to manage everything from the top down (see “stickiness” above).

Online Fandom » War of the Concepts: Virus vs Spread

Okay. So, this was a great read first of all. Gets the brain crankin’ and the thoughts a’churnin’. And as I was thinking about this concept of spreadable content… as well as viral content, I went through some of the past campaigns I’ve seen for the mass public - elves with cut out faces of co-workers dancing and singing in shareable videos, Britney Spears UGC poetry whispered creepily through a phone call, printable McLovin fake IDs, widgets, etc…etc…etc (Thank you, King of Siam).

We’ve been talking briefly here at the good ole SDG offices about viral content - and the luck-o-the-dice rolling of making successful viral content (of course, it’s not really always a luck-o-the-dice situation, strategy + “duh” play patterns exposed + ease = a great starting point, it’s also good to sometimes engage what I like to call the “snarky” factor).

Most viral content is made for the 14+ market (you can blend 10+ in there as well, if you believe it just). So… what happens for anyone under that age bracket? Does the same content and application apply? That’s the great question of the day, ain’t it?

I’ve seen TWO great viral campaigns (at least in creation and quality) of a tween market (but not necessarily FOR the tween market).

The Golden Compass had a really smart widget come out about a year ago. If you know the His Dark Materials series (or by now have seen the movie), you know about Daemons - and how they’re a reflection of your soul.  The widget allowed you to discover your own Daemon (animal), share it on your social network page, get friends to interact with the widget, and then entice them to get their own.  Investment. Sharing. Interaction.

Basically, what the The Golden Compass widget did that I hadn’t seen = make FRIENDS get just as invested in the widget on someone else’s page by encouraging friend-supported interaction… and then use that as an opportunity to peddle & temp for more viral widget spreading. I’m not sure how well it worked - considering the movie came off as demographic confusing (who is it for? kids, tweens, teens, adults? with its graphic nature and young/fantasy cast, cutsey animals and anti-christen subtext, etc), and the folks on myspace using that app were probably more YA readers of the older variety (myself, for example). Alas, it was a really clever ploy in my opinion.

The other great app I’ve seen is for Moshi Monsters - a tween virtual world. Currently mine is on my facebook page. Visitors to my facebook page can listen to my wee lil moshi monster speak sassy to them (and he is sassy - and personalized). It’s aesthetically pleasing, snarky-good-natured-goofy, and bright/colorful (bubbly happy colors that aren’t acidic like Hello Kitty, but still carry the right, bright energy of amusement). I know this has worked on at least TWO other people (who spotted mine and jumped into Moshi for their own), which is great. But again, those peeps were YA-appreciators (and fellow community folks) like me. I don’t have tater tot friends in facebook, nor will I, aaaaaaaaathankyaverymuch. And for the 12+ set, this could be highly successful (again, I don’t know, but I do know that Moshi has several demographics targeted, and that’s cool as its safe & appropriate for youth but accessible and fun for all).

But what about the 10-? The kinds who aren’t quite established in the social networking widgetopia? The ones who aren’t receiving marketing phone calls from Britney Spear’s fragrance (and if they are… hmm, that’s kinda creepy)?

Is there such thing has VIRAL/SPREADABLE CONTENT for the tater tots? I see peeps like Disney & the folks behind Doko (the pog-like toy whose name reminds me of Star Wars’ Count Doku) trying new viral (”sharing” because “sharing means caring”) outside-the-box techniques. You could also just have product tie-ins (redeemable cards that sit next to cash register that just scream “Hey, auntie, buy this and stick it in my birthday card so you don’t have to UPS a pressie”; stuffed plushies that lure with their dull black plastic eyes, etc). But that’s less of a viral campaign and more of a product strategy, isn’t it? Hmmmmm…

Does viral marketing for youth really only exist in advertising and word of mouth? We already know about the advertising issue (as there’s a collective hiss from the more protective sorts, no insult intended - but we all know its there).

The word of mouth points DIRECTLY at the thin balancing blade of a subtle knife (oooo, another His Dark Materials reference). On one hand, you need to make a product that’s trustworthy, safety stamped, and parent hugged; while on the other hand, you need to make a product whose parent hug is not visible to young eyes (nothing curbs a kids freedom like a n excited parent in the room), seems exciting and edgy and fun, as well as recognizable (play patterns, brand awareness, etc). A product that makes parents talk at play dates, and kids share at the lunch table. Then you gotta just CROSS THE FINGERS and hope that good ole “If you Build it, He will come” mentality works for people other than Kevin Costner.

What am I missing? Is it true that there isn’t a great way to create viral content for youth? OR is there a REASON there isn’t viral/spreadable content for the under 10’s?

Now of course, all of this has been rambling around in my mind, and in no way am I saying I’m right about any of it, nor am I taking sides. This whole idea of “spreadable” marketing is still struggling to swim in the grown up world, so maybe its not fair to ask to expect any swim time for the tater tot world.

What do you think? Viral/Spreadable marketing… does it exist for kids & tweens? Should it? And if it’s a speeding train cruising the downhill track-of-life, how can we man-handle it to do as we wish instead of fighting an up hill battle? I’d love to hear your thoughts - whether you want to add to my insanity, or point out something I missed.

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Noteworthy: Poptropica

Poptropica has hit the PR area lately with stats and such (Virtual World News, and Virtual Worlds Forum). I was a bit confused at first as to why I hadn’t heard of it before… and then, being a quick eyeball-dismisser, I associated it with those kiddy-food-mishmosh sites (Millsbury, Postopia, etc) once I saw the name “Pop” and “Tropica” (thinking Pop Tarts and Tropicana Orange Juice).

But silly me… it has nothing to do with such sites. It’s actually a REALLY KICK ARSE EDUCATIONAL SITE. No really. I’m serious. I was UBER impressed with just about everything: from the fun avatar builder, ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS non-barrier world entry, uber-safe features (no personal info, canned goofy chat), to tongue-in-cheek educational humor (”Kid, this is just a job” - museum kid dressed like a shark).

Their multiplayer games are totally educational without BEATING you over the head (made me use my brain… got my rear kicked by other tater tots roaming the world).

It’s a site with its priorities = making education a casual-gaming, fun environment that doesn’t try to be more than just what it is. The site doesn’t make you dedicate yourself, or trick you into thinking it’s either really education or not educational at all. Again - a fun environment that makes casual gaming valid and interactive.

I’ve only been playing there for two days, but I’m telling you - this is a really well planned site from people who enjoy… well… everything. Reminds me of gamers who appreciate the educational site of gaming, but don’t want you to feel anything less than happy and chill.

I haven’t found anything yet to raise flags about or poo-poo. Seriously, I’m pleasantly surprised. Let me know if you see something I don’t, or if you agree, or if you have a separate point to make. And if you dig it as much as I do, share it with your local teachers/educators/parents. Every now and then I hear a “HARK, ART THOU APPROPRIATE FOR EDUCATIONAL AGENDAS?” call… and this is one of those places I would respond with a “YAY, THOU SHALT SEE POPTROPICA. TIS GRANDETH.”

We Got Your Answers, Savvy?

To find the biggest concentration of digitally savvy consumers, you have to head to Texas, it turns out. Austin, to be exact. And the second-highest concentration of this segment is not in Silicon Valley but in Las Vegas. Spots three through 10 go to, respectively, Sacramento, San Diego, Washington, Seattle, Phoenix, Chicago, New York and San Francisco.

Where the Digitally Savvy Things Are - Advertising Age - Digital (Via Kidscreen)

RAD ~ Chicago is in there (where I grew up). Digital Savvy, woot woot.

Nice article, has some great info regarding early adapters and their habits. I hadn’t really thought about it before - but it makes sense that a lot of early adapters use more concentrated/practical social networks - instead of me-me-me myspace or facebook.

The digital savvy are the settlers that help support the frontier. They are the ones making success stories out of the new environments that provide necessities for life improvement (or enrichment). Yes, I know the social-social sites (bebo, myspace, facebook, etc etc) are of no less consequence, but they are nigh on pure social.

The cement that forms the foundation of a strong social web isn’t just in the social - but the offerings sites have that allow people to move on with various other outlets in life. Books, movies, shoes - amazon. Sports, stats, competition - espn.com. News, weather, politics, culture - cnn.com. The never ending questions that plague us - ask.com.

So what can we take from this to enhance youth user frontiers??? Well… what can you provide on your site that gives the answers they seek (oh great gandolf)? Or, how about - what every-day lifestyle social necessities can you provide that allows for ease and fulfillment? Can you bridge a gap of real world play patterns that seemlessly flows into your sites goals and agendas? If so… rock on for your bridges. The tater tot savvy users are comin’ your way.

Wowza: Great post on Brands & Virtual Worlds

Do brands need virtual words? Absolutely. The high proportion of kids brands in attendance at VW08 NYC is testament to this - they’re paying close attention. The high number of brands across all sectors currently in Second Life is also proof. Further evidence can be found on Giff Constable’s blog over at ESC. He cites recent research conducted by MTV with respect to Pepsi activity in vMTV…

 

Among the findings was that Pepsi’s positive brand image traits increased dramatically among fans who not only watch the show but browse The Hills content online, where Pepsi runs 30-second spots and banners. Positive brand image increased even more among fans who played in The Hillsvirtual world as well. (The average time spent there, according to MTV, is about 28 minutes per encounter.)

 

The valuable audience segment of teenagers and young adults are bombarded with advertising messages and are savvy enough to know when they’re being sold too. They’re also media and activity ‘grazers’ - they switch between channels and media products at lightening speed (read more about marketing in teens online). Virtual worlds offer an engagement platform unlike anything else in the market and increased brand equity is the currency.

 

But do virtual worlds need brands?

 

The best starting place here is to isolate the primary objective of any virtual world - to grow their resident base. 

Looking at Second Life growth in 2007, I would argue that at least 50% of the new accounts (circa 5m) created in 2007 were a direct result of brand activity. If brands hadn’t have entered SL, registered accounts would have been significantly lower. So, from this perspective, brands are crucially important to virtual worlds - they need them. 

 

What brands bring to a virtual world is a base of fans/advocates/ambassadors - people who have a relationship with a real world brand and follow the brand in-world. On this basis, getting a brand inside a virtual world is an excellent vehicle to grow the population numbers.

 

This aspect can also be pivotal for newly established worlds or platforms in development. Brand awareness and understanding of the majority of new virtual worlds is low - no-one really understands what’s on offer and the only way (until these worlds start advertising) is to actually sign-up. Real world brands bring a safety blanket of awareness and can act as a catalyst for registration, not to mention kudos. Another reason why virtual worlds need real world brands.

 

Some virtual worlds place real world brands at the centre of their positioning, Stardoll being a good example of this. Members flock to Stardoll to dress their avatars in branded clothing and celebrity-based activities.

Brands and Worlds. Who’s the Daddy? : Kzero

Wow.  I ONLY took a wee portion of the post to share with you.  That’s JAM PACKED with theories and reasonings regarding Virtual Worlds <3 Brands, and vice versa (that’s a heart if you can’t see it).

I’m going to reread it and see if I wrap my head around all the areas touched, and can come up with anything valid to share with you.  In the mean time - i would love to hear any responses of others who read the article.  Cheers.

New Web-based Trading Card site

Mammoth Brand, a marketing/manufacturing initiative of NSI International, has launched Doko, an online social network and trading game targeted to K7-13. Kids can collect and trade Doko discs (small 40 mm in diameter pieces), each of which features a Doko design and has a unique ID etched on its rim that can be registered online to receive points. When players trade/give a disc to another player and they register the code, both users Doko points (up to five times after the initial registration). Disc points can be used to unlock features on the website as well as be redeemed for real goods and services from Doko partners including www.toysrus.com , DK Publishing and www.etoys.com . Additionally, players can interact with one another through the virtual network via a range of games as well as via chats online and send messages to offline players. While the first Doko discs were distributed in cities around the world, as of launch the discs are available at Toys R Us, to be followed by other retailers.

Cynthia Turner’s Cynopsis - Cyn Kids 5/12/08

Sweet. Sounds a lot like POGs, 2.0 style. I’ll have to pick some up at Toys’R'Us later. As for the site? Not seen it yet. I’ll take a look later this week (a bit bogged down - hence crazy ramble posts lately).

Anyway, something to keep an eye on– especially for innovation in the trading/collecting sphere (Chaotic, Pokemon, Magi Nation, Bella Sera, etc)

UPDATE: So yeah, took a pre-peek at the site, and the concept is pretty wicked…

What is Doko?
Doko™ is the World`s First Global Trading Game! You child can trade and collect Doko (chips) with other children on your block or around world and track where they go on the internet at www.dokodrop.com.

What do I do with it?
You register it at www.dokodrop.com and then give it to someone else for them to register and then give to someone else and so on and so forth. Each Doko can be traded 5 times after the first registration. At www.dokodrop.com , you can track where your Doko has been registered.

Is the online part safe?
It is very safe. All chat is “canned” so kids can`t disclose any personally identifiable information, be harassed or bullied by others or have any conversations that are “inappropriate”.

Why would I want my child to do this?
There are several benefits from trading doko. The first and foremost is you get to be a part of the world of Doko where you can you can track the progress of your Doko - and every other doko in the world.

You can also safely chat with other Traders who are on-line, message with those who are off-line and play 100`s of games FOR FREE.

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VMKers Picketing at Disney

“You’d rather do anything in the world than disappoint a guest,” John Spelich, a vice president in the Walt Disney Internet Group, told the AP. “But in this particular instance, this promotional site is going to come to an end. We have invited those players who like features of VMK to sample the other ways we’re offering to engage with Disney online.”

We’ve heard Disney President Robert Iger talk about the similarities between virtual worlds and theme parks before when it come to extending a major franchise. VMK did just that for one of the biggest franchises of all, Disneyland.

It doesn’t sound like the picket line could have been particularly deep, but it does highlight the risk of using a virtual world to promote a product. I’ve seen it in the comment section from when Coke switched over to There.com from the independent Coke Studios, users erupted when VMK announced its closing, and EA is seeing a backlash from users after the recent announcement that EA-Land/The Sims Online would be closing down.

Virtual worlds are great for marketing and promotions because users form strong emotional attachments to their avatars and tight-knight communities. Taking that away will always be upsetting.

Virtual Worlds News: Virtual Magic Kingdom Users Picket Disneyland

Wowza. Ya know, this gets me thinking more… So, Disney informed the VMKers like 2 months in advance as a courtesy, right? They didn’t HAVE to inform anyone. They could have just closed their doors. They’re sticking to their guns and closing shop.

That 2 month warning was their way of allowing users to collectively move on to other avenues & worlds.

And it backfired.

…So the question stands: Do you give courtesy 2 months, semi-responsible 2 weeks, or shut without notice and leave a message on the door?

What VMK has done = sparked a conversation about power & the people. Who has the power? Who has the respect?

How this VMK situation will affect future youth-based Virtual Worlds and the business’s view. Why? Because insulting the audience is insulting your supporters. And yet, insulting your product (by no longer supporting the quality & agenda of that product’s goal) is both insulting to the audience and the company.

The ones who get it easy? The young, the less conglomerate companies/brand names/virtual environments. Why? Because they don’t have the eternal existence that Disney seems to have. You look at Disney and you KNOW there is money there. Sure, behind the red curtain all that money is allocated to various positions, events, causes, agendas, etc. It doesn’t really just sit in a vault like Uncle Scrooge - waiting for the frivolous spending (or swimming). Disney = strategical machine. And if you don’t have a big backer like that, it’s easier (it’s never easy) to shrug and say “We can’t do this anymore. Thanks for the memories.” And close shop.

And isn’t it better to close shop then carry on some half-baked, poorly supported environment that’s a shadow of what it used to be, and can hardly compete with the world at hand? Mmm. Maybe that’s a personal decision - but as someone that works HARD in the youth entertainment biz? You let decent programs turn to crap for youth - it’s dangerous and a liability.

So what will happen as these big, trusted brands open worlds of “promise” for tater tots and then move on to other projects. Remember - worlds are thriving environments. THRIVING. People show up because they’re part of the overall world, not because they have to for work or education or by law. It’s a matter of choice. That choice and the thriving nature of these world-round, live environments deserves RESPECT.

And yet, we’re back to that respect, that empowerment. No longer is “respect” a single word with a single definition direction, it becomes split: Respect for the user, respect for the entity, respect for the company.

So - to me, VMK did the right thing. They no longer plan on supporting a project that isn’t in line with the quality they hold themselves at. And instead of letting it fall to the wayside, they’re doing the right (and difficult) thing of closing it. What they did wrong? - some could say, they didn’t realize the gravity of impact their “closing shop” announcement might have. Some could say they should have presented a better strategy package for closing down the virtual domain of so many passionate users.

Me? I say nothing and watch shrewdly, and remember back to the times when we would leave my grandmother in St. Louis. She would stand on the front stoop of her apartment complex, and I would sob the sob of a thousand heartaches (my gma lived alone, and she was the most elegant lady I had ever met, and leaving her made me afraid for her, since as a child i never wanted to be alone, and for someone i loved so intensely to be alone? That was something I couldn’t understand or handle in my youth). Naturally, there’d be like a 45 minute period before mom & dad managed to get me into the car where I’d be holding on to her leg, the couch, the chair, random pillows - all trying to buy just a LITTLE bit longer with her. And when we’d get in the car (me sobbing more for the sake of losing that battle), she’d wave, stand strong, and dad would pull away– only to do a few loops in the parking lot. I would cry for the first half hour of the trip, then we’d stop at a gas station, I’d get some candy, and we’d move on.

When I think of this, I remember– children, kids, teens, etc have EVERY right to their emotions, and their connections to the things they care about. But what I remember now is that my parents never let me feed into that. They allowed my tears, but didn’t egg me on. I knew it hurt them to leave her just as much as me. And yet, they stayed strong, and remained role models, and focused on the future.

What about you? What would you do in Disney’s situation? How would you react as a parent of a child participating in a world that is closing down? What benefits, learning experiences can be created from such an event?

p.s. sorry if this is a bit of an incoherent mish-mosh ramble.  It’s monday morning, peeps. 

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TV vs That Interweb

…But the distorted Kathie Lee Gifford live interview with renown, long time blogger Heather B. Armstrong of Dooce (who self describes she’ll be “forever branded” as making KLG “uneasy”—video clip here) was bolluxed at best. (see more on Heather’s history as a hipster matriarch blog goddess at: The Dawn of Mommy Blogs)

The curt, clipped Today Show blip leaving viewers a bit befuddled at the lack of erudite commentary or the community-building aspects of social media makes me wonder if ‘mainstream press’ will EVER remotely begin to understand ‘nontraditional media’ as a powerful Web 2.0 force to be reckoned with…

A quick TweetScan shows Kathie Lee Gifford’s cluelessly dismissive positioning of mom bloggers as exploitive opportunists in a vanity gambit rather than an information resource and tightly woven community managed to offend, rile and belittle much of the ‘wired world.’

Kathie Lee Gifford deftly managed in a few swift seconds to judgmentally (and hypocritically) spew vapid ‘internet safety’ tripe to further the fear-mongering misperceptions of the digital dialogue overall, while simultaneously admitting she knows very little about the digital sphere! Yowza.

Scary stuff giving talking heads the power of a media microphone without teaching them how to use the platform in question…sheesh.

Ah well…TV is still the mother of all mediums, but with that type of reckless, superficial blather and those broad-sweeping, misguided generalizations, my guess is it won’t be on the top of the heap for long.

Shaping Youth » Moms Who Inspire & the Non-Moms Who Support Us!

It’s funny that Amy Jussel (Happy Mommola’s day to you too, Amy) over at Shaping Youth, mentions this.  Why?  Because it’s been something that I’ve found knocking at my window (not door, it’s not that direct yet) for a few months now… especially in regards to the 6v1 chick fight from those darling dears down in Florida (grumble, punk, sigh for the future, grumble, and “meh”).  I remember watching the coverage of that debacle - and all the “blame the youtube, it made our children claw each other” hallabaloooooo.

Oh, television news.  News news news.  I shaketh my headth. 

Anyway, I do think this is a buzzing-fly topic.  Something you swat at with subconscious irritation while you focus on other, more pressing topics.  I do hope that maybe peeps like Kathy Lee might have a bit more time for understanding this giant thing called the “interweb” than what she showed.

A lot of people spend their mornings watching these news programs, and if they’re just going to go ahead and blindly spread the fear of the web, and not really address the issues of web safety, proper home internet usage, etc?  Then boo.  Booooo. 

So, weird ramble ending, do stay cognizant of TV (news in particular)’s web-information-knowledge-share approach… because if that fly irresponsibly buzzes any louder and lands in your tea… that is going to be a problem.
 
(Side note: deep down, I giggle privately because I just had the thought regarding KLG, Meredith Viera wouldn’t do something like that… lol.  Actually, I’m not really sure if she would, or wouldn’t (I hope she wouldn’t), I’m simply a big Meredith fan - she’s ever so slightly goofball bonkers, and yet respected and strong.  An icon for young goofballs everywhere, lol.  Plus, anyone notice how happy the Today show team is now?  Matt Lauer seems less annoyed-stiff.)

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BCC’s Booming youth VWs

But casual games and the appearance of the Nintendo Wii have changed that profile and now it looks like it is about to change again.

Research suggests that there are about

158 online games and virtual worlds in development or up and running designed specifically for children.

While some of that total are recognisable games, most should be classified as virtual worlds, said Joey Seiler, editor of Virtual Worlds News, who drew up the exhaustive list.

Although these worlds, such as Club Penguin and Neopets, have games in them they are more an environment children can explore via their avatar.

“There are things to play with, like monkey bars or virtual snowballs, but it’s up to the kids to figure out what to do with them,” said Mr Seiler.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Boom times for virtual playgrounds

There’s tons to that article.  Go read. 

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Club Penguin’s Ways…

“I think one of the biggest challenges is the irresponsible nature with which our industry has taken care of kids for a long time - so there’s a great cynicism out there, and understandably so,” Merrifield told GamesIndustry.biz.

“I’m a parent myself, and part of why we created Club Penguin was my own frustration with what was out there.”

Merrifield also thinks that there is an over-reliance on technology that ignores the human element, which is why they’ve decided to devote two-thirds of the company’s staff to positions such as safety moderators and customer service.

“We know the limits of technology, even though I would put our filtering software up against anybody’s, especially because of that human element - we’re adding 500 to 1000 words every day to the filters, simply because of slang that works its way into the language.

“And every new pop song that comes out is inevitably going to reference something that was innocent the week before, but isn’t so much now,” Merrifield said.

The company faced a challenge trying to explain the concept to people who would try to compare it to Facebook or MySpace - the antithesis of Club Penguin, which encourages kids not to reveal any personal identifiable information.

MMO Week: Industry has been irresponsible with kids // News // GamesIndustry.biz

WOOT.  This is a solid, compact report from CP (thanks co-worker Brian, for passing this along). 

The #’s for their filters does NOT surprise me.  They have extensive chat choices in CP, and it almost feels at times that you can say just about anything.  They have a HUGE staff in their fortified HQ, all of whom spend their days just thriving with the site, rolling continuously with the punches, etc.  Rock stolid team. 

And the great thing about VW’s like CP is that it’s about identity exploration.  You are expected NOT to be you-as an identifiable individual- but you as you want to play.  It’s the imaginary you-as-a-penguin-blob.  All visual judgments are based on how you present yourself (which is usually as wacky as possible - I am in a squid suit at all times, some times with a tie, some times with a tennis racket…).  

Anyway, I thought the content of this article (namely the word to filter #’s) were impressive and great to share.

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