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This is NOT your Mother's Paper Dolls

  • Daily Confection

    20:01 EDT, 13.Aug.07
    Cartoon Dolls
    by: Debi Dodson, Daily Confection-SU

    The world is moving faster these days. Kids need to know so much more at a much earlier age. Aside from the rigors of academics, keeping up with the latest fashions and who has a crush on whom, kids are bombarded with the latest video games, high tech gadgets and an enormous amount of ‘congestion’ from every aspect of their lives. www.cartoondollemporium.com.

    Not only is CartoonDollEmporium fun, it also teaches valuable life lessons. There is play currency for buying and selling. And how does she obtain this currency? She has a job of course; just like everybody else. The doll must work to maintain a good reputation, learn to barter, how to be a good citizen, and so many things that challenge today’s girls.

    CartoonDollEmporium offers a world full of wonder and mystery. Participants are able to interact as little or as much as they like, and always treated equally.

    Interview with Elizabeth Seward.

    Q. CartoonDollEmporium is a very unique and interesting place for girls. Where did the concept begin?
    A. Evan owns a lot of companies that are more academic and he was looking for something that would be more exciting and more imaginative. He saw how popular online dolls were becoming when looking at a tool that tells you how many searches are performed on search engines and saw that this was going to be a huge craze.

    Nobody out there had a cartoon dress up site – there was only pixel dolls. So, he interviewed some artists that he felt shared his vision and the idea caught on like wildfire. From that point, he kept
    adding things he thought would be simple and fun and help girls to feel creative. Since Evan was genuinely interested in keeping the site creative from the beginning, the site has experienced great success because of his passion and devotion to it.

    Q. With Internet predators on the rise, how can parents be assured their daughters are safe on your site?
    A. Since our site caters to young girls, internet predators were an immediate concern of ours. We have thought through this issue thoroughly and continue to adjust our site security with every advancement that has been made with technology recently. Currently, we have 24 hour monitoring done by our own employees. We also have automated (script) reporting to moderators
    that alerts them when certain words, phone numbers, or e-mail addresses are mentioned, and we have worked extremely hard to develop an online community on CDE that generates positivity.

    Our visitors know when to report a suspicious character on the site, should there be one, and they are removed immediately. Parents have really learned to trust in us because of how much we care about this one issue in particular, and I feel as though it is one of our strong points.

    Q. You offer 24 hour monitoring of the chat room. Does the monitor interact with the girls, or simply keep a steady eye out for problems?
    A. The moderators interact a great deal with the kids, even going to the extent of babysitting them when their parents aren’t home, giving them advice, and playing role playing games with them. Our moderators are much more than security guards, but just like a guardian, they know when to step up and put a stop to an uncomfortable situation.

    Q. The site states girls can create lifestyles by using virtual currency. What kind of things do they buy and sell?
    A. The girls on our site can buy and sell services such as graphic creation. However, the most interesting thing they do is take each other to a virtual courtroom if there is a dispute and hire each other as lawyers and advisors. They also hire each other as therapists, personal assistants, and homework helpers. It's really amazing how seriously these girls will take their roles on the site. We appreciate it and feel as though it is one of the most crucial parts of our community online. Not only that, but it really helps to strengthen the leadership skills of the girls and their ability to see themselves in an important role in a community.

    Q. Although CartoonDollEmporium is designed with girls in mind, are boys welcome too?
    A. They are, and our new site redesign will be more neutral in color to welcome boys more. As society changes, I think we have all been readjusting to the fact that boys can enjoy dolls, pets, and even the color pink. In no way do we frown upon boys on our site; in fact, we welcome it. We hope that our redesign will bring more boys to CDE.

    Q. The doll’s outfits are chosen from a set provided by the site. Are there any plans where the girls will be able to create their own?
    A. Absolutely. Our Fashion Design Studio is coming soon. It’s exactly what the kids want next. Not only will this give kids the freedom they have never before had with dolls-virtual or real-but it will also challenge their creativity and perhaps even lead some of them into a professional career in fashion one day. We consider the site a gateway to endless possibility for the kids.

    Q. For a small fee, girls can join the CDE fan club. Specifically, what can they expect to get for their money?
    A. This feature is for girls who have really engaged themselves in our site. For the small fee they will receive tons of additional dolls and premium access to our new profile system where girls will be able to interact with each other in a virtual hangout. Our members who have already subscribed have shown total satisfaction with the club.

    Q. Your site is a breath of fresh air. All signs point to a whopping success. Is there anything that hasn’t been covered that you’d like to address now?
    A. Basically, just know that there is a lot more to come. We love entertaining kids and keeping them safe. The kids inspire new ideas. We have lists and lists of ideas to implement. Expect exciting new things every month, and expect CDE to be the innovator in the girl’s entertainment space, far more than Barbie or Bratz. Since our site is based around constant progression, creativity, and news ideas based off of feedback, I'm confident that we will always be surprising and pleasing our old visitors while attracting new ones.
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