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I just nominated you for best education blog at the bloggers choice awards dear! That's how much I think of this blog! So once it goes through you have to go get your little button and put it one your site, then I have to change my post again today!!!!!

Ev---Wow. I didnt even know there was such a thing!!! I am honored(and speechless)...Thank you so much!

If you choose to post this comment I would prefer that you post it under “anonymous” rather than my handle.

The way women have been and continue to be stereotyped based on their looks has always been problematic for me. This didn’t change when I entered cyberspace but it did lead to a very scary place.

When I was a n00bie at Blogger I foolishly posted a picture of my entire face, as opposed to just the eyes. I revealed where I lived (in a very small community) and I did not use a pseudonym. I unwittingly attracted a troll who said he intended to sexually assault me. I brushed this off and totally ignored him.

He turned into a stalker and arrived in the small community where I live just a few doors away. Luckily my neighbours found his questions and manner to be very suspicious. They lied to him denying that they knew me so he did not end up on my doorstep. He left and they called the police. He had a record and the police apprehended him on an outstanding warrant for sexual assault. Thereafter, I deleted my Blogger blog and began anew blogging under a pseudonym at another web host.

I wonder if the bloggers who brush off threats of sexual attacks and death would respond the same way if they had narrowly escaped a stalker like I did.

Granted most of the blowhards in cyber space are full of hot air but among them there are those who are dangerous.

Congratulations! I went on over and voted for you.

Thank you as well for nominating me! I'm so honored. Which category am I listed under, I couldn't find my blog after I registered.

Again, thank you so much, I'm so glad you like my place. I will be mention your wonderful blog and will let everyone know about the great job you are doing!

Anon--thank you for sharing some of your story with us and for the valuable information you provided as well!

Wow, all I can say is this site is great visuals, but scary,scary,scary.
ther things I was able to do and see in fifteen minutes, sent hair up on my neck.
I decided to research it a little furthe, wish I had not.
This site is for and should be for Adults only, letting your kids on this site unsupervised would be extremely irresponsible.

Ray, thank you for your comment.

As someone has has taught Internet Safety for the past two years to over 500 children, online safety MUST be discussed, at length, with our children. And yes, it is scary. But what is the alternative?

This site is an informational, educational website for parents, teachers and law enforcement.

I also provide presentations to parents and educators, of which I personally developed. My presentations are thought provoking, and compelling and provide, I hope, a real sense of urgency. It is not my job to "poo-poo" things. Our children's lives may depend on it.

As with all computer usage, children's activities online should be monitored by parents. I disagree with your statement regarding children being on this site would be "extremely irresponsible". I speak to many older children, including my own, about these very topics. They need to know, to be made aware. It is up to the parents to decide what is age appropriate for their children.

As I said, this site is dedicated to educate parents and teachers. Thank you for stopping by!

jace

AS an adult who has used IMVU I can confidently say that IMVU is extremely unsuitable for anyone under 18 years of age.The fact that there are NO age verification procedures allows anyone to be any age they chose simply by inputting the appropriate birth date on the form when they join.commonsensemedia.org recently rated this site as "seductive and potentially dangerous" for kids.Once on the site children can use 3d items that are highly unsuitable for minors such as tortue walls and animated blood covered baseball bats.It is very disturbing that the chats on this site are one on one in private rooms a child could very easily be tricked into giving out personal information.My personal opinion is that this site should be shut down immediately,this site is a pedophiles dream come true.

NBForrest,

Thank you so much for your insightful comments.

I would love to hear more about your experience. I dont have an email or website address for you, but if you happen to see this message and would like perhaps to write a bit about your experiences, please let me know. I think your thoughts would be greatly appreciated by the readers here.

Although the site might "look" cool to kids, I was MORE than concerned when I took a peek.

Thanks!

Hey, firstly l'd like to congratulate you for your contribution towards the protection of kids like myself, l am a teenager and currently play this Imvu game. Although l am aware of such people mentioned on your blogs, l still continue to play. It is an idea to shut the site down however a particular percentage are predators and we are just victims here. But l undestand fully wat actions must be taken to protect us from the predators, and l support it fully! Congratulations on ur nomination and l hope everything goes well. Cheers

Hi Mark. Thank you for your comment! I encourage and appreciate teens opinions!

As far as IMVU is concerned,here is my experience.My friends were visiting,their 11 year old child was on.I was watching her play.After only a moment I saw this was not suitable for a child.I took over the game,and made some friends who I told yhis was my first time on the site.A few took the time to show me around the IMVU world.Apparently it is a flirty,sexually loaded game,know to many for the Sand M croud.I was taken to an avitars bedroom and kissed,within 3 minutes into the game.We just appeared there,by his prompting the mouse.I am 50 plus,and very wordly.This is a cyber sex site,and I would consider this site off limites to anyone not prepaired to deal with a game site where anything can be said,You will never know who you are chatting with,but be sure you are playing russian roulett with any one who you greet as a person ready for cyber sex.

This blog does not go into much detail. IMVU is not a safe place for young teens. I am an adult (25 years old) IMVU user. I started a discussion group called "Responsible IMVU users" to promote an encourage a type of Neighbourhood Watch within the IMVU community. The site is filled with adult material. The site is very sexually driven due to the visual stimulation you get with 3D avatars. The biggest issue is users who are not the age that they post on their Homepages. Teenagers pose as adults to gain access to grown up material and adults pose as teenagers to gain the trust of the young ones. I do not recommend this site to anyone under the age of 16. Even then... Watch your kids when they use Social Networking sites on the web. I can't stress this enough.

Thank you, Helens....

Thank you for your input, Miss Vera. Well said and I can not agree with you enough!!

I have been an IMVU user for 2 years now. I have seen the changes it has gone through. I am also one of the adult members and a name holder member. You can not join the site if you are younger than 13 it says it when you start, violating any rule of the TOS will get you disabled. The conversations I have had with minors (both lying about their age and not) have been ... interesting. I have been asked to cyber, been cursed at all this is reportable. The excess of blood, torture walls and such things have been moved to AP they are no longer in general audience. Every time I go on the client and I get some one that has lied about their age they are reported, each and every time, they are also warned. Even if they are old enough to join the site they should be supervised, the forum also provides a list of things that parents should watch over. Most actions are under lock only actions you will be able to do with a person that you just met are attacks and a peck on the cheek or a greeting. There is also an email that parents can send to if they want their child’s IMVU disabled or if they have an issue with it. I wouldn’t say its safe but it’s not that dangerous either. I still remember when I first joined the first chat I had was a 12 year old that decided that it was hump day, back then there were no locks on actions, no report abuse, no anything. So IMVU has done a lot of changes though it still won’t stop the pedophiles and such, but informing a child is better than having them blind to the world. If you do have a child that has an account, supervise them sneak up on them don’t let them close the door and if they do start spending more time in their room, teach them not to give out personal information and what can happen if they do. Scare them they will listen, just remember to tell them why you are doing it we all want our reasons too.

IMVU is a great place 4 kids 2 chat. my kids all use it so dont ruin it 4 them. It is very good and my kids love it. adults being onit is just creepy 4 them. Please be aware of it

Dear Dying,

Thank you so much for your input. Much appreciated!

Anonymous,

You did not mention how old your "children" are.

I would have to disagree and if you read the posts, most do not think this particular site is appropriate for children.

Thank you for stopping by and your input tho.

As a user of IMVU, I don't think it is nearly as bad as some commenters are making it out to be. If you chat with someone who says or does something offensive, you can end the chat at anytime. You can even block users from talking to you or viewing your homepage.

The kiss and heavier interactions are restricted at multiple levels. At the least, you have to agree to be the other person's buddy. Other actions require the purchase of an Access Pass, which must be bought with a credit card, thereby checking the purchaser's age. As long as parents don't lend their credit cards to their children, they shouldn't have to worry.

IMVU is no worse than many other things on the internet. If parents want to shelter their children from the internet, IMVU is no different. But there is little on IMVU you wouldn't see on cable television and it is certainly no worse than premium cable like HBO.

I'm 20 by the way and, as a creative person (writer mostly), dislike almost all forms of censorship. How would you like it if something you put work into were deemed inappropriate and hastily blocked off?

-Nolan