User:Lmsprang/Sandbox

KidsCom.com
KidsCom.com is a virtual world geared toward kids ages 8-14. KidsCom.com is published by Circle 1 Network, LLC in Milwaukee, WI and was first launched in 1995 as a site for kids. After receiving new capital in 2006, Circle 1 Network used those funds to enhance and expand KidsCom.com – a site that the company describes as safe, fun and educational.

As a result of those funds, the virtual world was launched in 2007 and currently has over 1 million users. The site also has the CARU seal of approval confirming that the information practices of KidsCom, have been reviewed and meet the standards of the Children’s Advertising Review Unit’s Kid’s Privacy Safe Harbor Program. KidsCom.com gives kids an opportunity to learn more about climate change while playing games, taking care of a virtual pet, and making new friends.

Membership
KidsCom.com offers two types of membership, Subscription and Free:

Free Members are called “Allies” and are shown on the screen in white t-shirts and black pants. They have the ability to chat and interact with much of the site content, but they cannot purchase clothing, do not have a house, and cannot be Team Leaders for the Team Challenges.

Subscription Memberships are available for monthly, quarterly or yearly rates. These members are referred to as “Idea Seekers” and can be Team Leaders for the Team Challenges, can purchase and wear clothing and other accessories, have access to a wider variety of virtual pets, have a house which they can buy furniture for and decorate.

Global Climate Change Game
KidsCom.com has launched an online game about global climate change. The game is currently available to any user of the site and has been broken into "Team Challenges".

Team Challenge 1
The first Team Challenge was a "carbon cycle challenge." On the planet Sarillion, a grayish-yellow haze hung over the city of Kapokville. Participants had to do the research to discover the cause of the haze. The three winners of this challenge and their parents were awarded a trip to New York City on Oct. 5 to 7. There they met with Dr. G. Michael Purdy and other scientists at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at the Earth Institue of Columbia University, got a tour of the Bronx Zoo, and met with architects at Cook + Fox Architects who design environmentally-friendly buildings.

Team Challenge 2
The second Team Challenge was about water and how the eco-system is affected by climate change. Four winning kids and their parents were awarded a trip to San Jose, CA and Santa Cruz, CA where they visited the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose and the West Valley San Jose Library, as well as getting a tour of the exhibits and tide pools at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center at the Long Marine Laboratory in Santa Cruz.

Team Challenge 3
The third Team Challenge had topics focusing on learning about water conservation, the use of rain barrels, using natural lighting in buildings, and how amphibians have been threatened by increased cloud cover due to climate change. Four winning kids and their parents were awarded a trip to Washington D.C. to participate in Earth Day events from April 17-20, 2008.

Plant Babies
Plant Babies are small plant-like creatures that players may have as pets. They are available from Plant Baby Central. Characters include Persistance, Humor, Patience, Balance, Joy, Confidence, Gratitude and Hope. Allies have access to Persistance, Humor, Patience, Confidence, and Hope and are limited to three plant babies; Idea Seekers may adopt any of them and are limited to six plant babies. Plant Babies have health, and anti-cloud power bar charts to indicate their status.

There are eight official Plant Babies, each with a different personality and cloud fighting ability.

Persistance - Persistence Plant Babies are particularly good at fighting Sloth Cloud, the Cloud who spreads the cloud sickness of being lazy. Care rating: very easy.  Humor - Humor Plant Babies are very good at helping fight Angry Cloud and are also very effective against Proud Cloud, because they never take anything or anyone too seriously. Care rating: very easy.  Patience - Patience Plant Babies are good at fighting Angry Cloud because they don't react to the mean things it says or does. They are also good against Desire Cloud because they don't take short cuts to get what is needed or wanted. Care rating: easy.  Balance  - Balance Plant Babies are strong allies in the fight against Gluttony Cloud. They are great at fighting Sloth Cloud, because they help people find things they like to do that get them up and moving around. Care rating: easy.  Joy - Joy Plant Babies are great at helping Idea Seekers fight Angry Cloud and Jealousy Cloud also has a hard time spreading Cloud Sickness when a Joy Plant Baby is around. Care rating: easy.  Confidence - Confidence is helpful when dealing with all of the different Clouds of Chaos. Care rating: hard.  Gratitude - Gratitude Plant Baby helps people who are being clouded by Jealousy Cloud. They are also helpful in fighting Greedy Cloud because they remind kids to say thank you. Care rating: hard.  Hope - Hope Plant Baby helps against all kinds of Cloud sickness but is especially good at fighting Jealousy Cloud. Care rating: very hard. 

History - KidsCom.com and the FTC
KidsCom was one of the earliest kids-only sites on the Internet, having been online since February 1995. On May 13, 1996, the Center for Media Education (CME) filed a petition requesting that the Federal Trade Commission investigate and bring a law enforcement action for alleged deceptive practices in the operation of an Internet Web site called “KidsCom,” then operated by SpectraCom, Inc.

The FTC decided not to bring any charges or enforcement action against KidsCom.com for the following reasons: First, KidsCom has modified its Web site in significant respects. KidsCom now sends an e-mail to parents when children register at the site, providing notice of its collection practices. Parents are provided with the option to object to release of information to third parties on an aggregate, anonymous basis. Most importantly, KidsCom does not release personally identifiable information to third parties without prior parental approval. KidsCom also now discloses to the site visitor the purposes for which it is collecting the information. Second, there was no evidence that KidsCom at any time released any personally identifiable information to third parties for commercial marketing or any other purposes. Third, the collection of information from children on the Internet is widespread. The staff of the Center for Media Education determined not to recommend that the FTC initiate a law enforcement action against KidsCom.