Webkinz World

Ganz gift company makes plush animals toys called Webkinz. Each plush toy comes with a unique code allowing their owners access to the Webkinz World website.

Based on the unique code, Webkinz World is free for a year, afterwhich a another toy must be purchased to stay in-world.

The website, WebkinzWorld, is where the plush toy owners (kids, or not) can "adopt" virtual versions of their pets. The rest of the website provides for virtual interaction with those pets.

Kinzcash is Webkinz World virtual currency. Because each vitual pet has varying degrees health, hunger, and happiness - they can be changed by playing with, feeding, bathing, exercising.

Kids can earn and spend cash by playing games in Webkinz World.

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Webkinz World is only as safe as the involvement of parents make it?

Although Webkinz World was planned for children, and Ganz may have taken admirable and significant measures to make it a place where children can interact safely with other 'users' - parents should still be mindful that they (parents) are ultimately responsible for their child's safety.

Some of the thoughtful safety measure that Ganz has taken include the feature in the chat system that prohibits users from typing whatever they want. Supposedly, nothing inappropriate can be typed.

Although there is no mechanism designed-into Webkinz World to allow users to exchange personal information - this skeptic believes it's only a matter of time before a motivated individual finds a workaround.

Parents should be diligent in their oversight of their children's use of any online technology.

Users are supposed to be able to chat with only other members they have placed on their friends list and a player must give someone their username personally to be added. It is not an open or automated process, and there as there is no way to search for and discover other players while online.

However, social engineering techniques might be applied to work around these reasonable safety measures.

In all, Webkinz World safety measures demonstrate Ganz's responsibility. However, I still maintain that the parents hold the ultimate responsibility.

Webkinz World is intended to be a fun, safe place for kids - and with parents partnership in oversight of their children it will likely be more safe and fun than not.