Introducing everloop: Think facebook for 8-13 year olds

(This is part of my Technology and Ministry series.)

Working with students 10-13 year olds, I often get asked by students and adults about social networking.  Even just this past weekend I had a student asking me to post on his mom’s wall a note telling her she needs to let her son get a facebook account!

Most of my contact on facebook is with parents and some students who have been allowed to have an account at a young age.

Just yesterday, I was introduced to “everloop: a new generation of social networking for tweens.”

This resource is brand new and I’m looking at it both as a pastor and a father.  My initial reaction is that 2nd grade is a bit young for social networking and “tweens” really has not been classified so young before.  Not sure what the implications are for both of those developments.

So, here is where interaction and a blog are really helpful.  I’m including some links to both the developer’s site and to other video resources and reviews.  I would love to have a dialogue of comments AFTER you take the time to check out the information on these links.

 There are plenty of people blogging or even just talking around water coolers or in school hallways or church lobbies, etc. who simply want to voice their opinions without actually checking out the facts.  From what I have seen so far in the research I have done, I see both pros and cons to both this resource being available and to its use.  Just like with cell phones and students, I believe we as pastors, educators and parents need to decide which battles to fight and which resources actually might be able to be harnessed for good!  I don’t believe this is an all or nothing situation.

 However, I also believe parents need to be parents.  Whether a child is on the Club Penguin, PBSkids, facebook, twitter, everloop or whatever comes out tomorrow, parents have to be responsible and take authority when it comes to our children and their safety.

So, please check out these links and offer your educated feedback as a parent, pastor, educator, or (if your parents let you) a tween or preteen perspective!

Thanks!

-mike

everloop home page

everloop blog

everloop: about everloop

everloop: Parents (why everloop?)

everloop CEO presents at Demo (video)

Hilary DeCesare, CEO of everloop, talks about “facebook for kids”

everloop press release

everloop fact sheet

ZAGG Blog regarding everloop release

Google search of “everloop”