WDIG'S INTERNET SAFETY TIPS

1. Keep your passwords private, even from your best friend! Your online service will never ask for them, so neither should anyone else.
2. Use only your member name and/or e-mail address when chatting or sending e-mail. Never give out personal information like your name, address, or phone number.
3. Don't share photos of yourself, your family, or your home with people you meet online.
4. Always delete unknown e-mail attachments without opening them. They can contain destructive viruses.
5. If a person writes something that is mean or makes you feel uncomfortable, don't respond. Just log off and tell your parents, who can report it to your online service provider.
6. Remember that nothing you write on the Web is completely private -- including e-mail. So be careful and think about what you type and who you tell.
7. Not everyone is as nice, cute, and funny as they may sound online. Never make plans to meet an online "friend" in person.
8. WHEN IN DOUBT -- always ask your parents for help -- and just LOG OFF if you're not sure! You can always go back online later.

CONSUMER SAFETY TIPS

1. Tips for Online Shopping - Safety Tips from the Federal Trade Commission.

MORE SAFETY INFORMATION FROM WDIG

1. Surf Swell Island - Adventures in Internet safety with Mickey and friends.
2. Cybernetiquette Comix - An entertaining, interactive way for families to learn valuable lessons about online safety. Join classic Disney characters for adventure, fun, and online awareness tips.
3. Test Your Internet Smarts - How much do you know about Internet safety?
4. More Top 10 Netiquette Tips - An overview of good manners on the Internet.
5. "Safe and Sound" - An Internet safety article from Family.com.

A number of tools exist to help parents manage their children's online experience, including hardware and software programs that provide filtering options. Below are links that contain useful information on choices and levels of filtering that parents can use during family time on the Web. You can download special software or purchase specific hardware that will limit surfing to sites you deem appropriate for your household. Many of these services are free of charge; others require some form of payment

LINKS TO FILTERING SOFTWARE

1. Net Nanny
2. GO.com | Internet Content Filters page
3. SurfWatch
4. Cyberpatrol
5. EdView
6. Anti-Defamation League Hate Filter
7. Guardianet
8. Bess
9. X-Stop
10. SOS KidProof

LINKS TO ARTICLES AND OTHER RESOURCES

1. Surf Swell Island - Kids learn to surf the Web smartly with Mickey and friends.
2. JumpStart for Parents - Resource list of links for parents regarding child safety, filtering software, parenting organizations, and more.
3. Filtering Facts Website - An online source for information on making Internet access in libraries safe for children and communities.

This section offers links to a variety of local and national authorities and organizations that can assist you with specific online and safety concerns, including links to local police and the FBI.

1. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children -
   Information on missing children.
2. CyberTipline - Hotline if you have information on a missing child.
3. National Missing Persons Helpline - Support organization for those searching for missing family or friends.
4. APB Missing - Information on missing persons.
5. Officer.com - Directory of law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and around the world.
6. FBI Kids and Youth Educational Page - Crime Prevention.
7. U.S. Department of Justice Online - Information on the U.S. Dept. of Justice.
8. U.S. Department of Justice - Justice for Kids and Youth.
9. U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) - Information on the ATF.

The Internet offers thousands of great Web sites and services for kids and families, but trying to figure out which sites are appropriate for different members of your family can be challenging. This section provides a snapshot of kid-friendly sites designed to educate, guide, and inform kids in all age groups.

SEARCH AND DIRECTORY FOR KIDS

GO Kids - One-stop shop for tons of great kids' links.
GO Kids | Surf the Web - Super-special search resource for cartoons, homework, and games.
Go Kids | Learn the Web - Web-education links from A to Z.
CyberPatrol's Route 6-16 - Guide to the Web for kids, parents, and teachers.

FUN AND ACTIVITIES

Family.com - The No. 1 site for family fun and activities.
The Cartoon Network - Online home to some of your favorite cartoon characters.
Curiocity's FreeZone - Online community for kids.
Dr. Seuss's Seussville - Not just green eggs and ham!
Lego Worlds - Online building blocks.
Bonus.com - Supersite for kids with fun, free activities.
CTW Family Workshop - Home of "Sesame Street."
Ty - The Official Home of Beanie Babies.
The Wild World of Wonka - The official Web site of the Willy Wonka Candy Factory.
Fun with Fruits and Vegetables Kids Cookbook - Safe, healthy fun for the kitchen.
Burger Town on KidsCom - Activities and recipes just for kids.
Cyberkids - Games, activities, and community just for kids.

LEARNING ON THE WEB

Exploratorium - The museum of science, art, and human perception.
Zoo Web - Your online link to zoos and aquariums around the world.
Smithsonian Institution - Online home of America's most amazing museums and artifacts.
PBS Kids! - Public television's online destination for kids.
HaringKids - Official Keith Haring Web site for children under 14.
Children's Literature Web Guide - Great resource for books and learning.
FunBrain.com - Educational online games for kids.
SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Information Database - Shamu and friends on the Web.
NASA Web - National Aeronautics and Space Administration home page.
TIME Magazine for Kids - Current news and views just for kids.
National Geographic for Kids - Links to amazing cultures and people around the world.
Internet Public Library Youth Section - Super kid-friendly library links.
WhaleNet - An interactive education program -- monitor whales, dolphins and others via satellite!

OTHER RESOURCES

GetNetWise is an online resource for families that, with the click of a mouse, will deliver information and tools needed to guide children to a safe, enriching experience online. Functioning as an interactive directory, GetNetWise contains aggregated and syndicated content that can be found by clicking on the blue-and-white GetNetWise logo below. It is the result of a broad industry effort to create an online environment where families feel empowered with the tools and information they need to safeguard children while providing access to an unprecedented wealth of global resources, information, and contacts available on the Internet.