Build-a-Bearville, a new child-oriented MMO run by teddy bear retailer Build-a-Bear Workshop, opened its colorful virtual doors this winter--joining "web playgrounds" like Club Penguin and Webkinz on the highly-lucrative bandwagon of virtual world for kids. Though Build-a-Bearville's population is still small in comparison to giant Club Penguin, the teddy bear-themed MMO has used a lot of the same elements (character and clothing personalization, thematic mini games, etc.) to make the world appeal to children. Specifically, Build-a-Bearville is designed for kids who've purchased an animal from a Build-a-Bear store, which they can register online--though anyone can play.
Of course, like other children's MMOs, Build-a-Bearville is billed to parents as a "safe place where children can play" free from the dangers of internet predators, identity thieves, and inappropriate content. However, what's disconcerting about the world's play model--in which signing up is free, but certain privileges are reserved for players who've registered a purchased animal--is that the level of "safety" changes depending whether or not your child is a paying customer.
Players who don't have an animal to register are restricted to the "safest" level of chat: drop down menus with exclamations like "It's beary nice to meet you!" Players with a registered animal, on the other hand, can chat freely. In theory, their chat is being censored for certain inappropriate words and phrases. But, whereas in Club Penguin I've seen this method work effectively to eliminate sexual talk, I witnessed players in Build-a-Bearville shouting, "Any cute guys out there?" and "Who wants to flirt?" Of course, some would say these questions are harmless enough--but they certainly introduce a social, and potentially sexual element into the game that seems to have been successful sidestepped in similar children's MMOs. Plus, the question remains, why should non-paying customers be more or less safe than paying ones?
I should note that as an ex-Build-a-Bear employee, my thoughts on Build-a-Bearville come with a certain bias. At the same time, as these kids MMOs become more and more popular, I think it's important for us writers and researchers to spend actual time inside them observing. Just because they're meant for children doesn't mean we adults can't take a peek inside...
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