Parents

Welcome to Yoursphere

What is Yoursphere?

Yoursphere is a community where kids and teens create, connect and share – all while their safety and privacy come first.

Yoursphere is the first online community that parents can feel good about. Exclusively for kids through age 18, Yoursphere.com is filled with hubs we call "spheres," where members with shared interests—such as music, fashion, gaming, sports, and academics—interact. It's dynamic, it's rewarding, and it all happens in an online community with an unprecedented commitment to Internet safety and civility.

The result? At Yoursphere, members feel free to be themselves, creativity and individuality are recognized and rewarded, and parents—imagine this!—have peace of mind.

Yoursphere is safety.

How is Yoursphere different from other social networking sites? First off all, safety is our utmost concern. In fact, it's the foundation of the entire Yoursphere concept (after all, Yoursphere was founded by a concerned parent). Here are some key facts you should know about Yoursphere's revolutionary approach to online safety (and nope, we're not shy about bragging!):

  • COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) compliant (means your child doesn't have to lie about their age to become a member)
  • Partnered with the world's leader in online identity and age verification
  • Incorporates groundbreaking content-moderation technology to protect against inappropriate or illegal content
  • Dedicated on-staff Yoursphere Safety Task Force comprised of former state and federal law enforcement officials on staff to help protect, assist and educate the community.

All this means that at Yoursphere, we don't sit back and wait for problems. We take a proactive, hands-on approach to online protection. We do EVERYTHING we can to keep creepers (predators, sex offenders, or any person setting up a profile to exploit, harass, or solicit others) out of our exclusive community. In short, we set the bar for online safety.

How do we accomplish all this?

We do it through a combination of innovative technologies and old fashioned human oversight. Crucially, no one is anonymous on Yoursphere. That means none of the anonymous users that plague other social networking sites. The effect is that your children can hang out online and be...themselves.

To achieve this, the quick and simple verification process on our website accomplishes four critical tasks: 1) Ensures that no one enters Yoursphere without a parent or guardian's permission, 2) Requires the parent/guardian to confirm their child's age and gender, 3) Allows us and our identity verification partners to ensure that the parent/guardian providing consent is really who they claim to be (and not a creeper), and 4) enables Yoursphere to confirm that the parent/guardian providing consent is not a registered sex offender.

And that's just the gatekeeping! The community itself is constantly monitored by the Yoursphere team and our moderation technologies to ferret out postings that potentially violate our terms of use. Such items are immediately evaluated by our panel of interpreters, who let free expression and creativity thrive, while removing inappropriate content.

We also created the Yoursphere Safety Task Force to protect and serve our entire community. Comprised of former law enforcement officials including police, Secret Service, and FBI investigators, "The Force" is constantly working to help keep Yoursphere safe and creeper free. Finally, part of our mission is to share what we learn on the cutting edge of Internet protection with our members and member parents so they can better protect their families.

And while the site is kid and teen only, as a Yoursphere parent you aren't left completely out of the loop! Items such as the Yoursphere Parent Newsletter and Mary Kay's blog let our parents in on key events and happenings inside Yoursphere.

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

In short, Yoursphere makes it easy for you to feel good about your children's online experiences. Now you can actually relax when your child has an online conversation with someone they've never met, because on Yoursphere, interactions are truly peer-to-peer (and you win parenting "cool points" by not hovering).

Yoursphere is dynamic

Yoursphere offers unique community hubs we call "spheres," that function a bit like clubs or rec rooms filled with like-minded peers. Our current sphere categories range from Fashion and Sports to Academics and more. Like to play Wii? Join the Gaming sphere and interact with other Wii fans. But nobody's pigeonholed at Yoursphere-every member can also create their own individual spheres based on their unique interests and passions. Essentially, your son/daughter can create their own website, right here on Yoursphere. They can showcase their achievements, message friends, compete in contests, and vie for scholarships, hot prizes, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and much, much more.

Yoursphere is rewarding

Another distinguishing feature of Yoursphere is that we reward members simply for their involvement in the community. Members earn rewards in the form of site recognition and premium prizes just for participating on the site through their positive interactions: like joining spheres, blogging, and sharing content. There are also opportunities for members to apply for a variety of scholarships, and participate in unique once-in-a-lifetime events.

Because Yoursphere encourages the diverse interests of its community, we award scholarships, internships, and mentorships in a multitude of endeavors including academics, sports, and nonprofit work.

And since helping others is integral to the Yoursphere mission, we donate a portion of our net sponsor revenue to youth charities, chosen by our members, dedicated to making a difference.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to create a premium community that provides the safest online experience for kids and teens through age 18—a dynamic, supportive environment where self-expression, creative participation, and healthy peer-to-peer relationships are encouraged.

To keep our community free of creepers, Yoursphere will remain in the forefront of Internet safety technology. And through continually updated educational tools and awareness programs, we are dedicated to helping members and member parents understand online safety and protect themselves.

Founder's Story

Yoursphere was founded by Mary Kay Hoal, a mother of five and a successful corporate media entrepreneur who became concerned about the safety of her children when they wanted to join social networking sites.

Immersing herself in the world of online social networking, Mary Kay saw firsthand the disturbingly coarse culture and very real dangers present for youth. It was (and still is) all right there: Adult strangers ogling and soliciting preteen girls for sex, porn aimed directly at youth, bullying, and vicious harassment committed by users hiding behind fake profiles. (At this time it was also revealed that one site harbored an astonishing 29,000 registered sex offenders). And all of it with apparently no oversight. As a result, Mary Kay resisted allowing her children to create profiles on the world's largest networking site.

"I wouldn't invite 29,000 registered sex offenders into our house," she told her children, "so why would I let that happen online?"

The answer: She wouldn't.

Knowing firsthand that today's youth are, above all, each unique, with different interests and talents, Mary Kay set out to build a pioneering social networking site. An encouraging community that would celebrate and support young people for who they are, in the safest online environment possible. A smarter and warmer place, one she would readily allow her own children to join. A place all our kids deserve. Yoursphere.

Based in Davis, CA, Yoursphere launched in August 2008.

FAQs for Parents

General Questions | Membership | Verification | Contests and Rewards | No Creepers

General

Why did you guys launch Yoursphere?

Mary Kay Hoal founded Yoursphere because she is a mother of five concerned about the safety of her children. When her two teenagers wanted to join social networking sites, Mary Kay discovered a culture almost singularly fixated on sex, and steeped in bullying, deceit, and predators. Even worse, the owners of these sites seem to not mind. So after a long run, Mary Kay had a vision: She knew that she couldn't be alone in lamenting the status quo, and that it had to be possible to create an engaging, supportive and safety first community that allowed teens to truly be themselves. That's Yoursphere.

Why should my child join Yoursphere?

For lots of reasons:

  • The most dynamic online home available
  • Spheres full of true peers with shared interests
  • Ability to, in effect, create their own website and invite their friends
  • A virtual world where kids can create their own avatars and go the beach, rollerblade, fly and much more!
  • Hundreds of FREE games
  • Kid and teen only — no one over 18 allowed; no fake profiles
  • Creeper*-filtered community
  • Amazing rewards
  • Opportunities to earn a scholarship
  • A hand and voice in providing quarterly assistance to youth philanthropies that help needy children, families, and schools.
*Creeper = predator, sex offender, or anyone setting up fake profiles to exploit, harass or solicit. Creepers are not welcome on Yoursphere.

How does my child become a member?

One of two ways.

First way (quickest):

  • Click the "Signup" button on the home page
  • Supply the information requested
  • Your child should be a member in less than three minutes.

Second way:

  • Your child clicks the "Signup" button
  • He or she clicks on the "Not a Parent?" block.
  • Once you receive our email, you click on the link within and begin the verification process.
  • Your child should be a member in less than three minutes.

Why do I need to be involved for my child to become a member?

Well, we can't verify that your child is who they claim to be. (There is no public data we can check to confirm a minor's identity and age). Only a parent or guardian can verify their child AND provide the verified parental consent. If we didn't ask you to be involved, we'd end up like all those other sites filled with adults you don't know and creepers.

Plus, remember that the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires all sites with youth under the age of 13 to follow the rules of obtaining verifiable parental consent. (Read more about verifiable parental consent on the Federal Trade Commission web site.)

Why aren't the other social networking sites like Yoursphere implementing the verifiable parental consent required by COPPA?

Good question! Who knows why they aren't following the rules? Members are not supposed to be younger than 14 (or in some cases 13) to be on those sites. Unfortunately, lots of kids lie about their age and sneak on. And remember, most of those sites are not exclusive to kids and teens. Yoursphere is restricted to youth members only. And we follow COPPA rules (actually, Yoursphere goes beyond COPPA rules in protecting your child).

Why are you letting 18 year olds on the site? Legally an 18 year old is an adult.

Yoursphere is intended to be a site for kids and teens through high school. A lot of seniors are 18. It'd be a bummer to boot a high school senior who's 18 off the site.

Most teens aren't worried about safety online. They're smart enough to know not to meet people they've met online in person, and know not to give out personal details. Why is Yoursphere so stringent about safety?

The idea that one should take precautions when interacting online is certainly not new, but as we all know, teens are prone to tuning that stuff out. The sad fact is that lots of bad stuff happens to kids online every single day.

Yoursphere replaces anonymity with accountability. That is, community members are accountable for their actions. If a member breaks our Terms of Use and exhibits creeper behavior we will delete them from the community forever.

Why should my child leave the other social networking sites they're a part of and become a Yoursphere member when all of their friends aren't members of Yoursphere yet?

Your child doesn't have to leave anybody! They can invite their friends to Yoursphere. We are sure they (and you) will enjoy Yoursphere a whole lot more than anywhere else.

I think Yoursphere is great. How do I tell other parents about this site?

It's simple. At the bottom of any Yoursphere page, click the "Spread the Word" button.

Membership

How do I cancel my child's membership?

Just go to your Parent Dashboard and you can cancel or re-activate a child's membership.

Can I cancel and re-sign them back up at a later date?

Well, of course.

My child(ren) have an account. How do I get back into the site?

As a parent, you can't. If you want to see what's going on, ask your kids to show you. However, you can always log into your Parent Dashboard by going to Yoursphere.com, clicking "log in," then entering your email address and password.

What's the Parent Dashboard?

The Parent Dashboard enables parents to easily manage accounts, update credit card information and so on. In accordance with COPPA guidelines, from the Dashboard parents may also review any postings submitted by their child (and only their child), provided that child is under 13. Parents are not privy to postings submitted by teenagers.

Verification

Who needs to be verified?

Each prospective member's parent or guardian.

Why a parent or guardian?

Data to verify a person's identity exists only for adults. An adult parent or guardian can in turn verify their child's age and identity and also provide their consent. Yoursphere can then verify that the parent is who they claim to be.

What is the parental verification process like?

It's easy, painless and takes less than three minutes! Simply provide your name, date of birth, and last 4 digits of your social security number.

Isn't it risky for me to provide the last four digits of my social security number?

No. Not any more dangerous than:

  • Getting a cell phone for yourself or your child
  • Setting up Internet access for your home
  • Calling your bank to confirm your balance

What happens if I don't pass verification?

Don't worry, there are lots of options available to help you complete the verification process.

First, if there wasn't an initial match you'll be given the chance to re-confirm the data you provided online. If further data is required, you'll receive an email from us asking you to complete the verification process either by email, fax or snail mail to our corporate offices at the following address:

Identity Verification
Yoursphere Media Inc.
803 2nd Street, Suite F
Davis, CA 95616.

You can also call Yoursphere Customer Service at 888-905-9898. Representatives are available to answer the phone 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday.

If you choose not to call, you may fax any required data to Yoursphere at 530-747-2444.

I am an adult and I'm not a registered sex offender; why can't I have my own account and profile page?

While Yoursphere understands that the vast majority of adults are not registered sex offenders, we know that unfortunately many are. In the United States alone, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, there are over 600,000 registered sex offenders; an estimated 150,000 have been lost in the system. Nearly 100,000 registered sex offenders were found using the world's largest social networking site. Those 100,000 adult sex offenders were friending and communicating with our children. Of course, there are plenty more sex offenders yet to be caught or identified. That's a fact we can't ignore. So, while we understand that some parents would like to have a Yoursphere account, to help ensure there are no breaks in the security system, membership must be limited to kids and teens through age 18.

We encourage you to ask your child about what's happening on the site, including contests, sphere activity, unique postings, etc. You also have the option to read the Yoursphere community blog for up-to-date information about current happenings, and to receive the Yoursphere Parents Newsletter. Our aim is to provide you with information that will help spark discussions with your child about their Yoursphere experience.

Contests / Rewards System

How do members earn credits?

Share. Vote. Post.

Members earn credits just by participating in the community.

How long is it going to take my child to earn credits to get the cool stuff you're giving away?

The time frame is really up to your child, as it depends on how fully they participate in the community. There are some complicated algorithms that figure it out, but if they are a contributor to the community they will see points accumulating and, in time, score some cool stuff.

Is there any fee for me when my kids get free products with credits?

No.

Will you have more stuff for my child to get with credits, than what you're offering right now?

Yup, and we're always looking for more cool stuff! Let us know what items you would like offered and we'll try to do so. Just contact us.

Does my child have to be a Yoursphere member to enter your contests?

Yes.

What are the rules for your contests?

Depends on the contest. Every contest has a rules page. Click on the contest link for specifics.

What if my child wins a contest, will I have to pay anything?

It wouldn't be a prize if you had to pay for it! But, if the prize is worth over $600, we're required by law to have you fill out a 1099 form for tax purposes.

My child has a great idea for a contest in one of the spheres, how do we tell you about their idea?

Ask them to send us a message in the "feedback" box provided on their homepage. Tell us all about their idea and we'll get back to them.

What is the Create Your Future Program?

The Create Your Future Program was designed to allow Yoursphere to provide scholarship, internship, mentorship, trade school, and amazing once-in-a-life-time experiences to help our members pursue their own goals and interests.

And since everyone is different, so are the opportunities afforded by Yoursphere. Perhaps your child wants to intern for a pro soccer team? Or maybe they'd like to attend dance camp, shadow a top fashion designer for a day, or score some help paying for college? They dream it up, we'll help them make it happen.

For ideas, questions, or to support our Create Your Future Program, contact us at:
CreateYourFuture@Yoursphere.com

How can my child earn a Create Your Future scholarship?

We can't guarantee they'll receive a scholarship. However, the way to possibly earn one is to participate in one of our scholarship opportunities.

Why are you giving money away?

Because we learned a long time ago that sharing is good! Plus, we've got a big mission statement, and one of our founding tenets is to help improve the lives of children in need.

I've got a philanthropy that my child would like to support. Can Yoursphere help?

Possibly. Send an email to our philanthropy team at: Philanthropies@Yoursphere.com

No Creepers

What's a Creeper?

A creeper is a predator, sex offender, pornographer targeting youth, or anyone setting up a fake profile with the intention to exploit, harass, or solicit. Creepers are not welcome on Yoursphere.

What do I do if my child thinks a creeper is on the site?

Tell us! Use any of the tools within the community: links, flags, feedback areas, etc., to report creeper behavior. You also can:

  • Call us: 888-905-9898
  • Send us an email: SafetyTeam@Yoursphere.com
  • Contact the police if you think it's an emergency.

What happens if we find out someone is a creeper and on the site?

We delete them and ban them from Yoursphere for eternity. We also contact the appropriate authorities.

I am concerned about what my child is doing online. What can you do to help?

First and foremost, please talk to your child about what they are doing online. Ask who their friends are, what kind of activities they engage in while online, and so on.

If your child is younger than 13, we can provide you with a log of what information they have posted on Yoursphere, click here for details. If you feel you have an urgent situation, which requires immediate attention to protect your child from imminent danger, please contact your local authorities. Our safety team will work with your local authorities in any way they can.

Call us: 888-905-9898

Will Yoursphere provide me my child's password?

No. Yoursphere is for kids and teens only.

I want to read everything my child posts on the site, or see the photos and videos they share. How can I view this information?

If your child is 13 or over, you can't. (If you really want to know what they've posted, we suggest you ask them to share with you.)

If your child is 12 years of age or younger, the Parent Dashboard allows you access to content your child has provided. You will not be able to see or read any other content from the site.

If your child is over 13, you can't keep them from

If my child of any age posts something inappropriate on Yoursphere, are you going to let me know?

By stating our code of conduct very clearly, we hope to avoid many of the problems that plague other social networking sites. However, we recognize that our members are not yet fully adult, and are prone to committing occasional errors in judgment.

That said, if your child continually violates our Terms of Use we maintain the right to cancel their Yoursphere membership.