New Safe Social Networking Site for Kids Launches Offering Millions of Parents Break-Through Solution to Protect Their Children from Epidemic of Cyber-Bullying & Sexual Predators

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- With the epidemic of cyber-bullying on the rise and MySpace's public admission that it had 90,000 convicted sexual predators on the site, millions of parents across America are frightened that their children will become the next victims.  Now they have a new solution:  a break-through social networking website launching today designed specifically for children ages 6-12, Mixels.com gives parents full control and allows them to give their children the freedom to go online, resting assured that their identities are protected.

The latest numbers are every parent's worst nightmare:  1 in 5 teens has been targeted by some form of online sexual harassment or solicitation, according to the Crimes Against Children Research Center.  42% of students in grades 4-8 report that they have been the victims of cyber-bullying and it is becoming more common at even younger ages.

Unlike other social networking sites designed for children that encourage children to post photos of themselves which could attract child predators, Mixels.com never shows a child's photo on their public profile, providing a much higher level of protection.  Instead, the fun-filled site allows children to create their own animated characters, called "Mixels" which become their anonymous identity on the site, limiting the risk of direct contact from strangers.

Created by new parent Giancarlo Tallarico, he explains his motivation to create a site that would become a safe haven for millions of children that gives parents peace of mind: "Mixels.com offers parents and children the best of both worlds.  The site offers all the benefits of introducing young children to the fun side of social networking without any of the dangers of child predators or adult content.  As a new parent, my wife and I are keenly aware of the desire to protect our son while at the same time we understand the internet is an integral part of our world and it's not realistic to expect that he won't be curious and want to go online.  With Mixels.com, you will never have to worry about who your child is talking to online."  

Mixels.com puts control firmly in the hands of parents:  It alerts them whenever their child receives a new "friend" request and then offers them the option of deleting that friend if they have any concerns about the person.  Parents can also edit and delete any information from their children's profiles.

As an added layer of protection, Mixels.com offers parents Real Time Monitoring. Parents can follow all their children's online chats as they happen remotely – from home, from the office or on the go.  Mixels stores and allows parents full access to read their child's chat history at any time.

Children can stay in touch with friends from school and forge new friendships with children from across the United States, expanding their horizons and helping them learn about other areas of the country in the process. Mixels.com also offers interactive games and educational activities.

In an effort to provide the ultimate protection for children, Mixels.com has made a commitment not to sell ad space on the site which could run the risk of leading children to third-party sites that might not be appropriate for younger audiences, and it also verifies age by credit card.  The website offers a free 14 day trial after which membership is available at $5.99/month or $55 for a full year.  

SOURCE Mixels.com