Nickelodeon can't seem to make up their mind. Are they educational and child friendly? Are they edgy and cool? My kids enjoy several Nick Jr shows and have spent time on the Nick Jr website. The games and crafts on the site are cute, focusing on such popular preschool characters as Dora and The Wonder Pets. But if you scroll to the bottom of the screen under the title "Nickeloden Kids and Family Websites" you'll find links to AddictingGames.com, a decided child-unfriendly website. Links to the site are even more prominent on Nickelodeon sites geared towards elementary-aged kids and tweens.
AddictingGames.com is a free game website where users can actually upload their own games, rate favorites and embed games on their social media pages. The games that are highlighted on the front page change regularly based on what's new and what's popular. Today I was greeted with such gems as ZOMGies ("Shoot Zombies in your Pajamas!"), Kitten Cannon ("Launch the kitten into a field filled with bombs!") and Bowman 2 ("Shoot an arrow through the heart of your opponent."). Clearly these are not games intended for children, so why are there prominent links to the site on all of the Nickelodeon properties?
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) is asking the same thing. In fact, they've put together a letter campaign to request that Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group stop promoting the highly violent and sexualized website to young children. Concerned child advocates can quickly send a message just by adding their name and contact info to an online form.
In the meantime, I suggest that parents protect their children by being proactive. Installing a browser for kids will keep your child from visiting unapproved and/or unsafe websites. No matter how much you trust your children, it is just too easy to click on a link that looks like fun, but ends up being inappropriate.
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Yikes! Just another reason to play with your kids online and not just let them wander…
It’s so hard to keep up with what’s OK for kids and what’s not. I swear it’s a full-time job. And so sometimes you rely on a brand you trust like Nickelodeon. And so I was a bit slow to realized that I didn’t feel nearly as good about Nick’s TV shows for elementary age kids as I had felt about the Nick Jr. shows. And now there are many shows on Nick I don’t allow my kids to watch.
So I guess it’s no surprise that the website has its problems too. But it’s easier to see what’s on the TV than to know where every link on the website leads.
Thanks for pointing this out, Christie.
Nick has always approached and even IMHO crossed the line when it comes to kids’ entertainment. But, consumers are buying it, so they will continue on. Still, putting that link on the Nick Jr. website under the “family-friendly” description is rediculous even for them.
Nickelodeon has grown over the last 30 years to serve an audience not only of kids, but also teens, young adults and families. AddictingGames is the number-one casual gaming site on the web, and is linked to Nick.com because it is part of our brand. There is a notification on Nick.com to signal when a user is leaving for AddictingGames, and as we always have, we will continue to constantly review our content and navigation tools to provide the best and most entertaining environment for our audiences.
I think the biggest issue is that there is a link from a site/brand parents know and trust to one that is entirely inappropriate (regardless of the brand relationship). There is no notification when leaving the Nick Jr site for AddictingGames (not that most kids that age would understand one), and the notice from Nick.com doesn’t suggest that the content on the other end may be inappropriate for the age group. My children are restricted in terms of where they can go, even if they try to follow links, but many people trust the information and links they find on the Nick Jr website. I hope that Nick will reconsider the links and instead put their youngest users first by providing the safest browsing experience possible.
We parents can do our part, but ostensibly kid-friendly sites such as Nickelodeon should know better.
I am the parent of an 18 month old, a three year old and a seven year old. I have now had to restrict their access to NickJr online. (The 3yo and 7yo)
I am really upset by the comment left by the “Nickelodeon Representative” . Not only that, they did not identify themselves. So it means that NickJr is really a covert type of operation. A real “wolf in sheep’s clothing”.
There is a very simple point – lost we see on the fools at Nickelodeon – it is completely inappropriate to have a link on the NickJr website to addicting games. The fact that NickJr management refuses to acknowledge their mistake and make the appropriate changes, means that we need to have a grassroots effort to change their management or change the laws.
I am writing to my Congressman about the links on NickJr. We need more government control now…not less. We need to change the laws for websites that promote themselves to under twelves and what kind of content they can present and what they can link to.
I will reach-out through Facebook and Twitter and my local paper’s letters page.
Thank you so much for bringing this information about Nickelodeon out to parents.
Thanks for this post. I was horrified at “Don’t Whack Your Boss.” I am used to giving free reign to my 4 and 5 year olds on that site. That game was ONLY TWO CLICKS away from the Nick Jr. site!!
I went to Nick.com, and front and center was a link to this: http://www.nick.com/mynick/messageboards/viewboard.jhtml?bID=106286 Nick.com is bad enough, regardless of what they link to. Unbelievable.
I am perfectly capable of watching my own child and deciding what is or isn’t appropriate, I don’t appreciate people like this trying to police the internet and control what MY child is exposed to.
Thanks for the comment, Steven. I think the hope is not that things like this would be removed from the Internet, but that they not be marketed at young children. If your child is watching The Wonder Pets on TV, you wouldn’t expect that the commercials would contain extremely violent and sexual imagery.
My 9yr old doesnt visit the website (thank God) However, i am concernex about the shows on Nick at Nite. These shows are not exactly the kind of shows you would want your pre teen to watch. Such as, Malcom in the Middle. Having an episode that consists of a 6 pack of beer, a blanket and the football field. Not to mention, when the kid gets caught by the parent, there is absoloutely no lesson learned. I am disgusted.
I’m 100% with this spot. Nicolodeon is a commercial site without a conscience. Their goal is economic, and has nothing to do with children’s well being. Additionally, one ADHD book quotes studies show that excessive time on the television can contribute (not necessarily cause) symptoms of ADHD in children (probably adults as well). Great story on this site.
This is not really bad!Its for teens too.and adults!