Internet Safety Guide

The Internet is an incredible resource that in just a few years has become an integral part of American life. It holds tremendous promise to continue to improve our lives and offers young people a wealth of knowledge. However, it can also pose threats to our children. The wide-open nature of the Internet often creates situations where extremely inappropriate images and dangerous materials are often just a keystroke away.

Stay Safe Online

For your benefit I have linked this page to several child-safety sites for parents that I have found on the Web:

GetNetWise

GetNetWise is a one-stop, user-friendly, easy-to-find online resource which offers families Internet safety tips, a guide to clean content, and a list of kid-safe sites. GetNetWise can guide parents to the tools they need to help their children use the Net safely. GetNetWise also offers links to law enforcement and child advocacy groups to report trouble online.

Yahooligans

Yahooligans is an excellent search engine for children that blocks out inappropriate web sites. You may also be interested in Yahooligans' new program called "School Bell," which actually offers students help with their homework.

Parents Educators and Publishers (PEP)

Parents Educators and Publishers (PEP) have developed an online guide to Internet filtering software and other safety resources for parents. Internet filtering is a process that prevents access to certain material on the Internet which children can easily access both intentionally and accidentally. There are a variety of programs available, such as Net Nanny, Cybersitter, and Net Patrol. that rates the content of various web sites and offers a comprehensive list of filtering software available to parents.

Safe Kids

Safe Teens

Safekids.com and Safeteens.com were created by America Online with the National School Boards Association. On these site you'll find tips, advice and suggestions to make families and teenagers online experience fun and productive!

While no piece of software replaces good parenting, these web sites offer parents real tools to ensure their children will be safe while web surfing. In the information age, parents need more help than ever raising web-savvy, web-safe kids.

Spyware Tips

More and more computer users are finding unwanted programs operating on their machines that perform all sorts of annoying functions. These unwanted programs, often called spyware and annoy and confuse consumers. The tips below will help you prevent spyware from taking over your computer. Tips include:

• Be skeptical about installing strange or free software.
• Pay attention to security Warning-screens.
• Read the End User Licensing Agreement and the Privacy Policy.
• Practice basic computer security hygiene, including using anti-virus software, firewalls and keeping your software up-to-date with security patches.
• Know the symptoms of spyware and use tools to remove it from your computer.

More information and resources available at http://www.getnetwise.org/spotlight/.