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From Startup Camp: Is it possible to wall-in a safe online garden for kids?

Here in NYC at Startup Camp, I took some time to interview a couple founders of technology-oriented companies (most were technology-oriented but some were not) to find out what they were up to and what sort of company they were bringing to market. I basically got up on stage and said we're rolling tape for ZDNet and CNET if anyone wants to come talk to us.
Written by David Berlind, Inactive

Here in NYC at Startup Camp, I took some time to interview a couple founders of technology-oriented companies (most were technology-oriented but some were not) to find out what they were up to and what sort of company they were bringing to market. I basically got up on stage and said we're rolling tape for ZDNet and CNET if anyone wants to come talk to us. The first person to come talk to us was Bill Weber of Bill Weber Studios. For some period of time now (I forgot to ask how long), Bill Weber has been selling "Increase the Peace" stickers online in lots of 10 for $3.00. The stickers feature Ambassador Bird (pictured right), a dove who is the mascot for the Increase the Peace brand.The idea according to Bill is for kids, parents, and teachers to buy the stickers and hand them out to their friends in hopes of promoting peace, racial tolerance, religious tolerance etc. If for example, one child gives out 10 stickers to his friends, that's a "peace club." Personally, I love the idea. Kids love stickers and what better way to tie that love to a real challenge that confronts our society as well as the world -- and maybe a way to break some chains of violence and intolerance.

Taking Ambassador Bird and his understanding of the target audience to another level, Weber is no working on rolemodel.tv. Rolemodel.tv is basically an online channel of what Weber refers to as trusted content for kids; a walled garden (for lack of a better definition) where the content includes themes that are not only appropriate for children, but that also deal with thorny issues that parents sometimes have a hard time dealing with. Like divorce. This reminds me of how, when I first got divorced (I've since remarried), I read a book to my son called Dinosaurs Divorce: A Guide for Changing Families.

Anyway, I interviewed Weber with the tape rolling (he had his Amassador Bird puppet with him). He's the real deal; a guy with a heart of gold who is genuinely interested in changing the world, a guy who is doing something about it.

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