Meez is a social network which is based in San Francisco. Meez uses avatars, games and communities based within a virtual world to create an online environment where users can personalise their identity, connect with friends and make new ones, socialise and share various types of media. There are a number of free customisation items available on the site; Meez also has a currency called "Coinz” which allow for further customisation. Users can gain coinz by playing games and through paid subscriptions. Meez can be used for free but also sells a VIP membership which grants access to exclusive content and ad-free areas of the site, as well as enhanced community features. Pre-paid meez coins can be purchased at various retailers such as ‘Best Buy’ and ‘Target’. You must be 14 years-old and have permission from a parent or guardian. Meez was originally designed for users to export avatars onto other websites and social networks. In 2008, Meez Nation was launched, which is a browser-based virtual world consisting of various neighbourhoods. Meez Nation offers a range of places for avatar networking, including public spaces called hangouts and user-created private places called ‘roomz’. Users control their avatars by clicking on environments, and can interact with other avatars by typing into a text box. Meez was developed by Donnerwood media and was founded by Sean Ryan, the former Vice-President of Music Services at Real Networks. Meez CEO John Cahill is a former executive of Yahoo. Meez launched in March 2006 and currently has three million unique users, who average around three hours per month on the site. Ninety per cent of all Meez users are based in the United States. Each ‘hood’ is a collection of thematic hangouts that users can explore and range from indoor dance clubs to haunted houses and snowy woods.
