Habbo is an online social networking website for teenagers that was launched in 2000 by Sulake Corporation in Finland. It was originally known as Habbo Hotel and is currently the world's largest online community and social game site for teenagers from age 13 to 18. It operates in 11 different languages with the English-speaking countries combined into one website. The website has users from over 150 different countries. As of August 2011, over 230 million avatars have been registered.
Non-members can check out the website for free; however, this limits the activity they can have in the virtual world. Unlike most other virtual worlds, Habbo does not offer monthly or annual memberships. Instead, members must pre-pay for time on the website in the form of credits or coins. These credits allow players to enjoy the full features of the virtual world. When the credits run out, users must top up their account again using a credit or debit card, cell or home phone or Habbo pre-paid cards.
Features
The main feature of Habbo is the Habbo Hotel, which acts as the main meeting place for members. New members of Habbo choose an avatar to be their online personality. This avatar can be customized to look any way the member wants. Players can create a guest room in the hotel and can furnish it with items known as 'furni'. They can also keep a virtual pet in their room, which will remain happy as long as the owner takes care of it. Players use their purchased credits to buy room furnishings, personal accessories, food, clothing, music, games and other commercial items. Moving around the virtual world and chatting are the two activities that don't require members to part with their credits. Although playing games with other members is part of this website, the main focus of the world is on social chatting. Users must have Adobe Flash Player installed on their computer in order for the features to function properly. Once in the hotel, members can contact one another through the chat function, invite them to play games or have parties in the guest rooms. Outside of the hotel, features on the website include discussion forums, groups and security information aimed at users and parents.
What's Good
The design of Habbo is quite clean and block-like. In fact, the streetscapes, avatars and buildings have a LEGO appeal. The avatars are fairly innocuous looking. This website will appeal only to teenage boys and girls who are interested in social chatting. There is no violence on the website or in the virtual world.
What's Bad
Parents may remember those heart-shaped candies with innocent messages of love on them from their childhood. The innocence that those candies conveyed has been replaced by the vulgar, coarse, sexually-overt messages found on Habbo. This is not a site for children under 12. In fact, it is a site that represents all that is wrong with virtual worlds aimed at children. By allowing children to post sexually-suggestive messages, Habbo is encouraging children to act as adults, even though they are far from adulthood. Habbo can post as many warnings as they want or list how concerned they are about online safety, but the bottom line is if they really cared about their members posting sexual, racial and homophobic comments, they'd be quicker to react to them.
Online Safety
Habbo has no control over what kinds of members join their website; however, they do have control over what they say. In this regard, Habbo fails miserably. Habbo talks a good talk when it comes to online safety; however, they don't practice what they preach. With the many pages of safety tips for both users and parents, Habbo ends up pandering to parents and looking like the soulless corporation that it is. The way members behave on Habbo is not all Habbo's fault. Children don't instantly become racist, homophobic and mean spirited by becoming members; this type of conduct is learned elsewhere. For condoning this behavior and allowing it to grow unchecked, Habbo is a disgrace. Parents should be ashamed of themselves for allowing their children access to this website.