Are Online Play Dolls Appropriate for Young Girls?

Recently, there has been an explosion of websites designed for young girls where they can create "Online Play Dolls" These virtual toys are designed to replace the old practice of cutting out and designing paper dolls. However, some worry that these virtual dolls come with a higher risk: the world of Internet predators and the loss of innocence.

Online play dolls, are quite simply animated dolls that can be virtually dressed and groomed by an Internet user. There are many sites that offer this and they are often free. A user starts with a doll base, which is often a woman dressed in underwear, than by the clicking and dragging the mouse over clothing items on the website you can customize and create a whole world of virtual dolls! You can even compete in online beauty pageants and win prizes for having the prettiest dolls.

Fun right? Well, some opponents believe that this practice of beauty pageants is not healthy for young girls' self-esteem. They argue that in a world filled with pictures of overly skinny women that creating online dolls is only reinforcing that beauty is the only thing that is important. Opponents also believe that the virtual world of online dolls is taking over the world of delicate, gentle, baby looking dolls and replacing it with an image of a plastic-looking woman. Some argue that this is what is leading to the rise in eating disorders, low self-esteem, and competition among young girls'.

Some opponents also believe the world of online play dolls is opening up the door for online sexual predators to target young girls. The users are spending hours on these websites and therefore, replacing traditional friends with their online friends on the doll making website. Well, the risk for many of these online friends to be sexual predators is there. Anyone can join these sites, and anyone can be interacting with young users on the site. Some opponents will even go as far as to ask for these sites to be banned to children under the age of thirteen!

However, proponents disagree, and argue that computers and Internet will always be an integral part of children's lives and that they must learn how to master it. They believe that mastering their Internet skills using an activity they enjoy doing is the best way for them to learn about the computer. Some believe that with proper parental supervision an online doll making website is perfect for young girls of the new technology driven generation.

So are online play dolls acceptable for young girls to play with? Well, that depends on what you believe as a parent. If you carefully monitor your child's Internet usage and teach them not to compare themselves to virtual dolls the experience may be beneficial. However, there is still a real risk for online predators and the whole issue of self-image/beauty. Be prepared for the pros and cons before bringing the world of cyberspace into your home.