People are who they say they are. In other words, we verify their identity.

We work very hard to make sure those on the site are who they say they are. This means we look at substantial amounts of data to verify identity and we require parental consent to open an account. Because of these two things, it’s very difficult for people to use fake names to create accounts. Additionally, we run all parent names against a comprehensive sex offender database. If the name is in that database, the account is blocked and the individual can not enter the site.

By removing the anonymity that is traditionally found online, we hold all members accountable for their behaviors and actions. This is dramatically different from how most sites work, where if someone is banned, they can merely sign in with a different account using an alias.

We give kids stuff to do. Good stuff to do.

Next to anonymity, the biggest problem we’ve found with online communities is there just isn’t enough to do. Every parent knows that when kids don’t have things to engage with they can turn to negative behavior.

As parents ourselves, we’ve worked hard to create activities that kids can enjoy. Along with age-appropriate contests and games, we’ve created a system where kids and teens can create their own groups (called spheres) around their own interests. We also have our own private virtual world where only verified members can interact, chat, create, play games and explore. To encourage good online citizenship, we have reward points that accumulate when kids engage positively with other members.

If, as a parent, you’re ever concerned about what your child aged 12 or under may be posting, you can review their posts and remove them if you so choose.

We encourage kids to treat others well (and keep an eye out for problems)

How do we guard against kids that intimidate or threaten other kids? It happens at school and unfortunately it can happen online, too. To help make sure it doesn’t, we use sophisticated technology, human oversight, and goodwill ambassadors to keep communication positive and to help keep troubling interactions from growing into problems.

We take a common sense approach to member interaction. No anonymous users have private conversations with one another. Everybody knows that the person they’re talking to has had their identity verified.

Check it out yourself.

Would you like to see Yoursphere? Visit the spheres and explore our community where kids and teens connect, share and inspire each other. Look inside now.