Storyline Online – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Storyline Online

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

app2023

28%

WISE Score

4.4

App Store

NOT the beloved SAG actor read-aloud site—this is a user-generated story app with adult content hiding behind a kid-friendly name.

Storyline Online

app

Everyone, 2023

28%

WISE Score

4.4

App Store

NOT the beloved SAG actor read-aloud site—this is a user-generated story app with adult content hiding behind a kid-friendly name.

Jump to

Also rated on

Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

Here's the deal: if you're looking for the Storyline Online where Oprah reads 'The Hula-Hoopin' Queen' and Kevin Costner reads 'Rosie Revere, Engineer,' this ain't it. That's the SAG Foundation's site/app, which is genuinely wonderful.

This 2023 Android app is a user-generated story platform—think Wattpad meets Medium—with romance, horror, and thriller content, a reward system, and commenting. It's labeled 'Education' in the store but describes itself as a place for 'emotional reads that touch your heart' across adult-oriented genres.

For parents: hard pass for kids. For teens who like writing and reading short fiction? Maybe, but there are better-moderated platforms. The name confusion alone makes this sketchy—it's either intentional brand confusion or terrible SEO luck.

Bottom line: wrong Storyline, wrong audience, wrong expectations.

Age Fit

Marketed ambiguously but content skews toward teens and adults (14+) who enjoy user-generated fiction. Absolutely not for elementary-age kids despite the confusingly similar name to the SAG Foundation's children's read-aloud site. If you want the real Storyline Online with celebrity actors reading picture books, search for the SAG Foundation version.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is NOT the SAG Foundation's beloved read-aloud website—it's a user-generated story-sharing app with minimal moderation. The app description promises 'romance, thriller, horror' content in 15+ languages with user comments and a reward system that incentivizes engagement. No evidence of content filtering appropriate for the 'Education' category it claims. The wholesome SAG Foundation site shares a name but is completely different.

Imaginative

The write-and-share model does encourage creative expression and storytelling across cultures. Users can publish their own fiction, poetry, and narratives, which has genuine creative merit. However, it's a fairly standard user-generated content platform without unique creative tools or prompts—just read, write, comment, repeat.

Safe

Major red flags: user-generated content across 'horror, thriller, romance' genres with commenting enabled and a reward system that could incentivize clickbait or inappropriate content. The 'Kids Mode' toggle in platform signals is suspicious given the adult-oriented genre list. No evidence of robust content moderation. The app store listing shows it's marketed as 'Education' but describes content clearly aimed at adults. This is not a safe space for kids despite the misleading name.

Enriching

Reading and writing can be enriching, and multilingual access is valuable. But this is essentially Wattpad-lite with a reward system—the quality and educational value of user-generated short stories is wildly inconsistent. The 'moral/educational' genre tag doesn't mean the content delivers meaningful growth. Entertainment value exists for teen/adult readers who enjoy quick fiction hits, but 'enriching' is a stretch for most use cases.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Multilingual storytelling platform (15+ languages) could connect diverse readers and writers
Encourages creative writing and self-expression for teens and adults
Short-form content fits modern attention spans—quick reads for commutes or breaks
Community features let aspiring writers get feedback and build an audience

⚠

What to Watch For

NAME TRAP: Parents searching for the SAG Foundation's trusted read-aloud site will find this instead—completely different apps
User-generated content means zero quality control—'horror' and 'romance' genres signal adult-oriented material
Reward system for popular stories could incentivize sensational or inappropriate content
Comments section and social features expose kids to unmoderated interactions
Despite 'Education' label, this is essentially a creative writing social network, not a learning tool

Conversation Starters

"If you're writing stories online, what kinds of comments make you feel good vs. uncomfortable?"
"How do you decide if a story you find online is appropriate or well-written?"
"What's the difference between writing for yourself vs. writing to get likes and rewards?"

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic