Zooey’s Got the Giggles
A popular actress uses her fame for good, giving girls a safe space online to hang, play & create.
Although October is Bullying Prevention Month, it's no secret that the issue can't be solved in 30 days or less. It does, however, offer the perfect conversation opener: where can kids go online and express themselves without worrying about being called all sorts of names?
Facebook and Twitter, while fun and useful, can unfortunately be hotbeds of cruel, catty interaction, and actress/singer Zooey Deschanel is no stranger to social media (and its pitfalls) herself. Even though her "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" duet went viral via YouTube last year much to nearly everyone's delight, she's had her fair share of haters too.
So, while Zooey's star was rising last year as her hit show "New Girl" was about to debut, she and two friends launched a web-based community for girls, completely free of cattiness, called -- love this -- Hello Giggles. Co-founded with producer Sophia Rossi and internet sensation Molly McAleer, the site offers a plethora of user-generated content, ranging from its uber-popular Nails of the Day feature to smart celebrity commentary written by a 13-year-old and yes, even articles on bullying. The closely-monitored site has a zero-tolerance policy on commenter harrassment, meaning their teenage female visitors can express themselves and devour all the content they want, then log off with their confidence and self-esteem intact.
Our review: Five stars for Zooey and friends. Although it may be filled with giggles and general cuteness, this site's worthy of some serious kudos.