I always wondered what happened to paper dolls – little girls don’t seem to play with them anymore. Well I found them alive and well at Stardoll.com. My first impression was “you have got to be kidding,” until I realized that that this is a site primarily designed for 7 to 17 year-old girls to be able to play virtual dress up with virtual paper dolls and to also network with other girls their age.
The set-up reminds me of Facebook and offers free membership (some accessories and additional feaures cost extra). Sign up is easy, and each new member receives a virtual room to decorate, a star doll to dress (an avatar) and a personal page for blogging. Star Doll has an extensive online security guide for parents and teachers to review. I pretended to be a ten year-old girl, and I was initially impressed that the site would not allow me to join without parental notification and consent. However, when I signed in a second time, I was allowed immediate access without the required parental approval – not good. If you are under age, there is a very detailed consent form that is supposed to be faxed in before membership is accepted. An email is also sent to the minor child’s parents. Of course there are ways around these security measures, but the site has at least made a valiant effort to maintain the program's integrity.
I think that this is an entertaining site for young girls to play virtual dress up and to also make friends. It is colorful and there are lots of pretty wardrobe items and games to play, and it allows for creativity as well. The concept is honorable – the site’s creator designed the site as an alternative to violent video games. However, I think that if I had a little girl at home, she would only be allowed to blog with friends that she already knows – I am too leery of faceless strangers. That is also why I could never recommend this site in a school or library setting – because of that potential risk.
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