FOR PARENTS
What is this place?
Animasher is a site where anyone can make movies in an online studio, using images, sounds, and music from a shared library. Members can comment and rate each other's animations, and send messages to other Animasher users.
Is using Animasher good for my child?
To that we can answer a very heartfelt Yes. We sincerely believe that using Animasher is one of the best things children can do online today. Unlike merely watching movies, Animasher is a very active form of entertainment. And unlike playing games, Animasher is a creative activity. Kids use Animasher to tell stories, talk about their interests, create tutorials, and much else. It is challenging, unlimited, and empowering in the same way that a pen and a blank piece of paper is.
Many teachers also use Animasher in the classroom. One of them emailed us personally to say that participation and interest in her classes had been at an all time high ever since she introduced Animasher.
Who is Animasher for?
Animasher was originally not aimed at any particular age group. We believed adults would have as much use for it as children and teens. However, over time it became increasingly obvious that Animasher appealed mainly to people between ages 7 and 15. Everyone is still welcome, but every new feature we introduce is made with that age group in mind.
Is Animasher safe?
We continually monitor all user communication and remove objectional material from the site. Animasher is still a fairly small community, with users numbering in the thousands rather than millions, so we have a good idea of what goes on here. Our users are also very good at reporting inappropriate behavior themselves.
As the site grows, we will introduce more automated mechanisms for reporting and filtering of material that is not suitable for minors.
Can my child make animations about anything?
Yes and no. Many other sites put a straitjacket on the child's creativity in order to prevent them from creating objectionable material. We don't believe in that approach. We think it's better to state rules for what is and what isn't acceptable, and remove users and movies that do not adhere to these rules, than artifically limiting the expressive power of the animation tool itself.
We think this is one of the reasons so many people like Animasher. We guide them, but we don't hold them back.
My child has asked me to pay for something on Animasher using my phone, is this safe?
Yes. Zong, our payment provider, is used by millions of people every month. If something goes wrong with your transaction, or if your child has paid for something without first asking you, just contact us at parents@animasher.com and we will help you get it sorted out. Do note, however, that some phones are barred from being used for payments. If you have such a phone, the only solution we can offer presently is to use another phone. In due time, we will also allow payments via credit cards.
Why can't everything on Animasher be free?
Until very recently, everything has been. However, server costs, programmers, administrators, etc. all cost money. Animasher needs to make enough money to cover those costs. We have thought long and hard about it, and decided that charging for premium features is the best solution both for ourselves and for our users. That way, those who cannot afford or don't want to pay can still use most of Animasher, and we won't have to plaster advertisements all over our site.
Who is behind Animasher?
A small Swedish software company. We are now five people, all in all, and we're working pretty much around the clock.
I have a question not listed here.
Just send it to parents@animasher.com and we'll get back to you ASAP!
Last updated: 2009-12-21