InfoSpace, Inc an online provider of search and directory services has launched a new search engine aimed at children between the ages of 8 to 13. The new search engine is called Zoo.com. The goal is minimize the exposure to explicit content while providing a solid search engine.
Zoo.com has a Web filtering system that restricts 50,000 plus “adult” words or phrases. You are not reading that number wrong. When I typed in the word “playboy” the search results were “Sorry, Zoo does not provide results for this search term.”
When you search the Web you get results from Google, Yahoo and Wikipedia. When searching for news the results are from ABC, FOX and Yahoo News. The site itself has a jungle theme going along with the name Zoo.com There is also a window with animal facts.
When I was on the site there was information about the Green Sea Turtle and its ability to hold its breath underwater. When you click on the picture it takes you to the search results for the Green Sea Turtle.
Parents will probably welcome this new search engine site even though there are others out there like Yahooligans and AskForKids.
InfoSpace generates revenue whenever a user clicks on a result that is sponsored by an advertiser. The vice president of local and online search Rod Diefendorf said they will judge their success by how many visitors they attract.
On the site itself Diefendorf said “”With Zoo.com, we’re tapping our extensive history and expertise in Web search to deliver a relevant, broad, and fun search experience for kids, while offering the filtered results often requested by parents.”
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Mike is a staff writer for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest ebusiness news.