Is writing.com Safe?

***** is my absolute HOME on the internet. Those who have flagged this site are apparently not aware of the vastness of options and diversity this site employs. If you don't want your child to view material that is strictly for adults, set up their account for them. Staff is quick to change ratings on items that it deems inappropriate for certain age groups because I've set my filters wrong before and had them immediately changed, with an email letting me know so. There is something for everyone on this site to read, whether you like essays about politics, or poetry about love, plus every genre in between and every item type, including books. There are also many group types in which to involve yourself, from alien enthusiasts to cat lovers to Game of Thrones fans. Reviews are an integral part of the site, and when you post something you have written, the feedback is quite rewarding, not to mention the awards and merit badges. The menial prices for subscription are nothing compared to the friendships and satisfaction you will gain from being active on writing.com.

While the website or its service may be good, well organized, recommended, or have an expanded social following (FaceBook likes do not count as "Likes" can be purchased by anyone through the internet). Its the internet appearance which also matters. Site seems to promote: ☠ Site Promoted Shrill Reviews. (•ิ_•ิ) Most of the website review are shrill reviews that are site promoted or competitor posted. Solicited Reviews! ☛ Site is associated with attempts to inflate or affect the site review ratings by posting shrill promotion and or competitor reviews. ☛ Reviews made which "fully spell out the service/company name", which is not typical for a normal user to write repeatedly, are Shrill Site Reviews. ☛ User beware. Fully read all/any of the website services notices and policies! (•ิ_•ิ) Why trust a service/company that needs to knowingly post shrill reviews? Which of course sounds nothing like how a legitimate and reputable company would do business! ☛ "Shill" typically refers to someone who purposely gives onlookers the impression that they are an enthusiastic independent customer of a seller (or marketer of ideas) for whom they are secretly working. The person or group who hires the shill is using crowd psychology to encourage other onlookers or audience members to purchase the goods or services (or accept the ideas being marketed). ☛ A shill, also called a "plant" or a "stooge", is a person who publicly helps a person or organization without disclosing that they have a close relationship with the person or organization while pretending to be neutral. ====================================== ☛ Site should be more involved in the "negative posted reviews" on the internet rather than flooding a review site with the same repetitive reviews thinking it will make them appear better on the internet and increase their paid membership. As this is what repetitive shill reviews look like, a lame attempt to increase sales by inflating a review rating. ☛ Other reviews posted concerning: Excessive pop-ups, Adware, spyware, or viruses, Browser exploits, and Child safety issues, should be the main concern. Not shilling! ☛ As their own website states: "Reviewing is an extremely important part of the Writing.Com community. Helpful, honest reviews assist our authors to improve their talents." ☛ As it should be on review sites! ------ There is a Limited Free Membership, with Basic Membership from $19.95/year up to Premium Plus Membership $419.95/year (prices may not be current and may have changed).

My main reason for flagging this website red is that is because of child safety issues. Although you can have an account that blocks adult material for minors, you can easily access 18+ material without an account (though I don't know about GC and XGC material). Also, this website is plastered with ads and pop-ups, which I hate.

The child safety of the site is pretty good in and of itself. But if a parent isn't the one to set up the child's (under 18) account, then the age can be bluffed and the child would then gain access to pages rated 18+ and have the ability to gain access to graphic content (GC) and extreme graphic content (XGC) pages. But once the age of the account holder is set, writing.com (WDC) does a great job at monitoring and, if necessary, re-rating pages appropriately thus keeping the age viewing restrictions working properly.

I agree with jajoo, this site has very good child safety in my opinion. Although it does have adult content the site has strict age limits and forces users to stick to these (eg. an 18+ story must show as an 18+ story) and an automatic system stops anyone below this age reaching pages above their age.

I dont feel that this website should have this bad of child safety rating, because there are default filters that block any writings with containing adult contents. The parents can set passwords to the filter so that the children cannot turn it off by themselves.