Can't get to Step 2 on the Parent Registration Form

We received this question from a parent:

As a parent interested in evaluating your site and determining if it's appropriate, I started proceeding through the Join process.

After filling out my information, I clicked the "Proceed to Step 2" button, and got the following message on the next page:

"You've landed on a page that -- technically speaking -- your account doesn't have permission to view. If you think you got this page because of an error, return to your home page and send us note using the feedback form. (And if you're a parent, you might have landed here because you were trying to access a teen page. Please click on the "my home" link to head back to the parent dashboard.)"

So I tried to fill in and submit the first page again, and then got the message:

"The e-mail address [hidden for privacy] is already taken."

Thinking that maybe I could log in, I tried, but was taken back to a blank Join form.

So -- it seems as if I can neither complete the Join process nor Log In.

If you're having problems reaching Step 2 (or Page 2) on the registration form, it's most likely because your browser isn't storing cookies. A "cookie" is a small file that is stored on your computer that talks to our web site. Basically a cookie tells us that, yes, this is the same person who completed that Step 1 and it's safe to proceed. So, if the yoursphere.com cookie isn't stored on your computer, then you get stuck, just like the parent who emailed us.

So what do you do?

Depends on your browser and how you have security set up on your browser.

For Firefox:

1. Click on Tools > Options and find the Privacy section.
2. Do one of the following:
   1. Check "Accept cookies from sites." This is the easiest option, and you can turn off cookies from sites that you don't like.

      
      

   2. Leave "Accept cookies from sites" unchecked, then click the "Exceptions" button. Type in "http://yoursphere.com" and click "Enable" then "Close."

      
      

3. Click "Ok" to save your new settings.

For Internet Explorer:

1. Click Tools > Internet Options and select the Privacy tab.
2. The easiest way to make sure Yoursphere cookies work properly -- regardless of the different settings on the slider (from "Accept All Cookies" to "Block All Cookies") -- is to specifically allow Yoursphere cookies. Click on Sites, then type in "yoursphere.com" and click "Allow."

   
   

3. Click "OK" on this screen, then click "OK" on the Privacy screen.

If you still have issues after checking these settings, send an email message to customerservice@yoursphere.com .

One more tip: If you get bumped off the site or have issues after you complete Step 1, you can continue the registration process by logging in using your email address and the password you entered. You don't need to start over. (In fact, if you try to start over, you'll get the message telling you that your email address is already being used! Just log in and keep going.)