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Parents’
Guide to the internet
U.S. Department of Education
This guidance document contains examples, contact information, Web sites, and other sourc-
es created and maintained by other public and private organizations. This information is pro-
vided for the reader’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education has not reviewed, nor
does it guarantee the accuracy, legal sufficiency under Federal law, relevance, timeliness, or
completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of information, addresses, or
Web sites for particular items does not reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse
any views expressed or products, programs or services offered.
Chapter Chapter Topics Main Themes
• Purpose of the Parents’ Guide to the Internet
1 Understanding this Guide...p1 • Ways to Use this Guide
• Locating Information
• The Internet
• The World Wide Web
Understanding the Internet and
2 • Accessing Information on the Web
the World Wide Web...p3
• Other Useful Information About the Web
• Using the Web Productively and Safely
• Sending Messages to Others
• Sending E-mail Safely
• Other Ways to Send Messages Using the Internet
3 Communicating with Others...p10
• Other Ways to Communicate Using the Internet
• Using the Internet to Find Information
• Searching Productively and Safely
• Using the Internet to Find Information
4 Looking for Information...p16
• Searching Productively and Safely
5 Sharing Content Online...p21 • How Information Can Be Shared
• Internet Discussion Forums
Collaborating and Discussing
6 • Wikis as a Collaboration Tool
Online...p26
• Web-based Applications
Socializing Online: Social Networking • Social Networking Tools
7
and Virtual Worlds...p29 • Virtual Worlds
• Laptops
Communicating on the Go:
8 • Cell phones
Mobile Technologies...p34
• Digital Entertainment Devices and MP3 Players
• Types of Games
9 Playing Online...p37
• Helping Your Child Play Safely
• Ways to Shop Online
10 Buying Online...p44 • How to Pay for Goods Online
• Staying Safe When Money is Changing Hands
11 Keeping Your Computer Safe...p48 • Protecting Your Turf
• Internet Etiquette
12 Being a Good Digital Citizen...p53 • Cyber-bullying
• Copyright and Plagiarism
• Protecting Your Privacy
13 Protecting Your Family...p58 • Controlling Internet Access
• Communicating with Children About the Internet
Glossary...p62 • Definitions for all key words in Guide
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER
Understanding this Guide
How Did You Interact with People?
The past 100 years have seen unprecedented changes in how people
interact with each other and learn about the world. With each passing
decade, especially during the past 20 years, technology has greatly
increased our capacity to interact with one another, over ever-increas-
ing distances and ever-increasing speeds. Whereas a long-distance
phone call was once a great expense, it is now possible to browse the
Internet … on your cell phone … while you stand atop the Great Wall
of China.
The Internet can be used to find information and communicate with
people from around the world. It has permanently changed the way
we communicate, and impacts the way we shop, listen to music, view
movies and video and even the way we learn. All of these changes
hold tremendous potential for improving our children’s lives and
education, although this potential can only be fully realized if parents
serve as their children’s partners in exploring all that the Internet has
to offer.
Purpose of the Parents’ Guide to the Internet
The purpose of this online guide is to help parents become that part-
ner. Rather than provide highly detailed, exhaustive descriptions of all
aspects of the Internet, this guide provides concise, basic descriptions,
with links to resources that can provide further details, and additional
opportunities for exploration. In addition, we have included discus-
sion starters to help you initiate conversations with your child about
how to use the Internet responsibly.
The guide can also be printed out and placed next to your computer
as you use the Internet and explore what it can offer your family. If you
are interested in a particular topic, use the Table of Contents in the
front of the Guide to help find its location. Let’s get started!
1
3
Ways to Use This Guide
An important premise of the guide is that many high quality resources
already exist on these topics. Rather than reinvent the wheel, this
guide briefly describes and defines key topics, then provides lists
of existing resources for parents to explore. In many ways, the guide
should serve as a springboard for parents’ – and their childrens’ –
exploration of the Internet at any age.
Locating Information
• The table of contents at the end of this chapter
provides overviews of each chapter’s main themes.
• The glossary at the end of the guide contains
brief definitions of key terms and includes page
numbers to help you find where each term is
discussed. You will note that the terms are also
hyperlinked (turquoise color) to this same glossary.
Parents can access the information in the guide in multiple ways.
For example, if you have had little exposure to the Internet you
may find it helpful to work through the guide chapter by chapter,
like reading a book. The content in the guide gets gradually more
advanced as you work through the chapters, so you can experience
the Internet by working through the material from simple to complex.
If you have more experience with the Internet, you may choose to
start later in the guide, beginning where your own experience ends.
Or, you may have heard a specific term or topic mentioned by your
child, a colleague or in the news. You can also use the guide to search
for information on a particular topic, then start your reading and
explorations at that point in the guide.
2
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER
Understanding the Internet
and the World Wide Web
Connecting the World
Key Points
You have probably heard about the Internet and World Wide Web
(or “the Web” as it is commonly called) from television, radio, your ✓ The World Wide Web, often
friends and family, and even your children. Nowadays, you can’t watch called simply ‘the Web’, is a large
network of computers on the
a television show, read a newspaper article, or listen to a radio station
Internet which provides a col-
without hearing “visit us on the web at www…..” But what exactly is the lection of connected documents
World Wide Web? And how do you use it to access information? In and other services that can be
accessed and viewed using a
this chapter, you will find a description of the Internet, an introduction
computer and web browser.
to the Web, and explanations of different concepts related to the web,
✓ A Web Browser is a computer
including web browsers, Web pages, Web sites, and URLs.
software program that allows
Internet users to interact with,
The Internet navigate or “browse” parts of
A network is two or more computers that are connected electronically the Internet. Examples of popu-
to share information. Computer networks can be connected via wires lar browsers include Internet
Explorer, Firefox and Safari.
and cables, or through other means (such as wireless signals) that allow
computers to talk to each other. The Internet is essentially a global ✓ Remain aware of your
child’s Internet activity and
computer network, allowing a computer to communicate with any
talk with them about it.
other computer attached to the Internet – regardless of the location of
each computer.A computer generally connects to the Internet through
an Internet Service Provider, or ISP. Most major telephone and cable
companies provide these services for a monthly fee. Many public Go to
http://ed.gov/internet/ch02
libraries offer Internet access for free.
for more information and click on
Browsers
The World Wide Web
The World Wide Web, or Web, is a collection of linked documents
that are accessed through the Internet. Documents are accessed by
linking one resource to another resource by the use of hyperlinks
(usually referred to as “links”). Hyperlinks are often identified by
underlined text on a Web page or by a change of the cursor (pointer)
when the cursor is moved over such a link. For example, there are
additional resources listed at the end of the chapter. Clicking on these
links will move you to the identified Web site.
3
1
What is the Internet?
The Internet is a worldwide collection of computer networks, coop-
erating with each other to exchange data using a common software
standard. Through telephone wires and satellite links, Internet users
What is the Internet?
can share information in a variety of forms. The size, scope and design
e Internet is a worldwide collection of
of the Internet allows users many options. computer networks, cooperating with each other to exchange data
using a common so ware standard. rough telephone wires and satellite links, Internet users can share
information in a variety of forms. e size, scope and design of the Internet allows users many options:
THE BACKBONE THINGS YOU’LL NEED TO CONNECT
e di erence between the Internet and the
HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND CONNECTION
World Wide Web is that the Internet is
composed of the machines, hardware and Before you can connect to the Internet and access the World
data; and the World Wide Web is what brings Wide Web, you need to have equipment: a computer, a
this technology to life. At the core of the modem or network connected to the Internet; so ware
Internet are high-capacity points that (a browser) that will allow you access to the Internet.
interconnect at important regions around the
world, o en called the backbones. e entire SECURITY
system is based on agreements between these To keep your hardware
backbone providers who set all the ber and data safe, you’ll need
optics lines and other technical aspects of the to be armed with various
TY
Internet in place. URI forms of security.
SEC
WHAT'S ON
NETIQUETTE
THE INTERNET
You’ll need an idea of the BESIDES THE WEB ?
expected etique e e Internet, not the Web, is also
for communicating used for e-mail (the most widely used
in cyberspace. application on the Internet), Internet Relay
Chat (instant messaging), online gaming, and
more recently Internet telephony hardware and
SOCIAL so ware that allows real-time voice conversations.
NETWORKS
SEARCH ENGINE E-MAIL AUDIO / VIDEO GAMING CHATS
TO
CC
?
Subject:
SURFING THE WEB
e most widely
used part of the
Internet is the World Wide
Web (o en abbreviated
SHOPPING
"WWW" or called "the Web"). Its
outstanding feature is hypertext, a
method of instant cross-referencing. BLOGS
WIKIS
If you move the pointer over a spot on MY Blog
a Web site and the pointer changes My Crazy Day
into a hand, this indicates that you can
click and be transferred to another
site. Using the Web, you have access
to millions of pages of information.
4
What is a Web page?
A Web page is an information resource that is made available on
the Internet. The Web page contains information that a user can
read, listen to, or look at. When the user reaches an information
resource on the Internet, they have reached a Web page. A Web
page can include text, video files, sound, pictures, or other graphical
information.
What is a Web site?
A Web site is a collection of related Web pages about a particu-
lar topic generally written by a specific author or group. There are
millions of different Web sites available on the Internet covering virtu-
ally any topic imaginable. If you can name the thing or place that you
are looking for, it is likely that there is a Web site you will be inter-
ested in exploring!
A home page is the introductory page of a Web site. This page typi-
cally introduces the visitor to the site. Usually, the homepage will
include a menu or site map to help you navigate the site (by clicking
on links) to find the desired information. The term home page also
describes the page that the user can designate to be the first Web
page that will appear when they open their web browser.
What is a Cookie?
A cookie is a file created by a Web site that keeps track of different
types of information. The information may be as simple as a reminder
that you have visited a site. Some Web sites use cookies to track
where you have been on the Internet or what you have done on
certain sites.
For example, commercial Web sites like E-Bay or Border’s use cook-
ies to remind you of the books you have ordered from them or the
auctions you have bid on in the past. Cookies are discussed in more
detail in Chapter 13.
5
AUDIO/
VIDEO SERVER
What is a URL? WEB SITE
In addition to a web browser, you also need to know where the
particular Web page is located in order to be able to access it. Every
Web page has its own unique “address” on the Internet. This address is
also known as a URL, or Uniform Resource Locator. A URL for a Web site
ARCHITECTURE HYPERLINKS
or Web page generally begins with “http://”, so if you see this text you cansites contain hyperlinks that
e URLs of the pages Web
organize them into a are looking stay within the site or can lead
be pretty sure that you hierarchy, at an address for a Web page. To view
while the hyperlinks between users to any other site, so the
them control how the enter web
a Web page, you simply tra c the URL into the address bar of yourdistinction between individual
ows between the di will then be displayed on your computer. sites may sometimes be blurred.
browser. The Web page erent
partsto viewsite.
Finally, of the certain kinds of information on the web, you may need to
URL A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is essentially the address
used to nd any given Web site. e string of characters is
separated into sets by a “dot.” Each set indicates di erent
information enabling navigation to the right Web page.
e TOP LEVEL
DOMAIN is the
http:// www websitename com broadest indicator of
where a Domain Name
lives. ere are six
international codes:
.COM (commercial)
HYPERTEXT TRANSFER WWW indicates e DOMAIN .EDU (educational)
PROTOCOL (HTTP) is the that the resource NAME identi es .INT (international)
code browsers use to retrieve can be found which computer, .MIL (military)
interlinked (hypertext) somewhere on the called a Web server, .NET (networks)
documents from the Internet. World Wide Web. hosts a Web site. .ORG (organizations)
add special “features” to your web browser. These features are referred
to as plug-ins. Web browser plug-ins are pieces of software that add
additional capabilities to your web browser. For example, you may need
to add a plug-in to your browser before you can view video, listen to
music, or view certain types of images.
Accessing Information on the Web
If you want to view Web pages on your computer, you need a special
piece of software known as a web browser. A web browser is a software
application that lets you display Web pages or web resources on your
computer, and navigate from one Web page to another. Popular web
6
browsers include Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Opera.
Most computers come pre-loaded with one or two web browsers, so
you probably already have one of these on your computer. You can also
generally obtain a web browser free of charge by downloading it from
the Internet.
Anatomy of a Browser
Browsers are software applications that locate and display Web pages,
graphics and text. Most modern browsers can present multimedia
Anatomy of a Browser and video, though they require plug-ins for
information, including sound
some formats. ware applications that locate a typical browser.
Browsers are soBelow shows the components of and display Web pages, graphics and text. Most modern
browsers can present multimedia information, including sound and video, though plug-ins are required
for some formats. e components of a typical browser are shown below:
TITLE BAR MENU BAR MINIMIZE
e area at the top of each window that e top of the window that contains MAXIMIZE
contains the title of the visited page and the the titles of the standard pull-down CLOSE
maximize, minimize, and close bu ons. menus for the browser.
NAVIGATION ++ Website Page Title Will Be Here ++
ADDRESS/
TOOLBAR LOCATION BAR
is toolbar contains the File Edit View Favorites Tools Help is is where you’ll
bu ons to help navigate type in the Web
to Web sites. It usually Address http://www.websitename.com search
address of the site
includes the following: you want to visit.
Address Home Bookmarks Favorites ere is o en a
GO BACK / PREVIOUS PAGE
GO FORWARD ONE PAGE other website other website search box on the
website
RELOAD CURRENT PAGE right side of this bar.
STOP LOADING PAGE
OPEN YOUR HOME PAGE(S)
PERSONAL HYPERLINK
TOOL BAR Clicking on an
is is a place to store underlined word or
your favorite links, called group of words will
bookmarks. is gives take you to another
you quick access to sites website page.
you’ll visit frequently.
TABS SCROLL BAR
Tabs allow you to keep Grab this with your
several sites open in your mouse to scroll the
browser at the same time. transferring data.... page up and down.
STATUS BAR
e status bar is the box at the bo om of the browser window. e main use of the status
bar is to show how much of the page is loaded. Once a Web page has been loaded, the
status bar becomes blank again. Another use of the status bar is that it shows the URL of a
hypertext link when the cursor is over the link.
7
What's A Web site ?
The Web site
A is a related is a related collection is digital information that is
A Web site Web sitecollection of digital assets thatof hosted on one
hosted on one or more web servers, available
or more web servers, available to the whole world 24 hours a day via to the whole
the Internet. All publicly accessible Web sites are seen collectively and
world 24 hours a day via the Internet. All publicly accessible
make up the “World Wide Web”.
Web sites are seen collectively to make up the "World Wide Web."
TEXT A Web page consists of images, Web pages can be accessed from a
text and other content wri en in range of computer-based, Internet-
or converted to (X)HTML code enabled devices of various sizes,
that is forma ed and organized including desktop computers, laptop
IMAGES for viewing in a Web browser. computers, PDAs and cell phones.
AUDIO/
VIDEO SERVER
WEB SITE
ARCHITECTURE HYPERLINKS
e URLs of the pages Web sites contain hyperlinks that
organize them into a hierarchy, stay within the site or can lead
while the hyperlinks between users to any other site, so the
them control how the tra c distinction between individual
ows between the di erent sites may sometimes be blurred.
parts of the site.
8
URL A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is essentially the address
used to nd any given Web site. e string of characters is
separated into sets by a “dot.” Each set indicates di erent
information enabling navigation to the right Web page.
e TOP LEVEL
DOMAIN is the
Using the Web Productively and Safely
The web can serve as an incredible information resource for you and
your children. However some Web sites may contain information you
consider inappropriate for your child. In addition, some Web sites
may use information they collect via cookies for purposes you may not
be comfortable with. Other chapters in this guide provide additional
information about evaluating information on Web sites and limiting
the types of information your children can view on the web. You can
also customize your web browser to limit the types of cookies and
other information you receive.
Conversation Starters
> Which Web sites do you like to visit? What makes those sites good sites to visit?
> Which Web sites are popular with your friends?
> Which web browser do you use? Have you tried others?
> Do you know how to tell if a web site is secure?
Web Resources
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet
> http://www.centerspan.org/tutorial/www.htm
> http://www.zeltser.com/web-history
> http://www.mit.edu/~rei/wwwintro.html
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Web
9
CHAPTER 3
Communicating with Others
New Ways to Communicate Key Points
Before the Internet, communication was limited to a few choices.
When you needed to communicate with friends and family to update ✓ Communicating over the
Internet via email allows
them on summer trip plans, to thank them for a gift they sent, or just to
users to share information
say hello, you had two options: write a letter or call on the telephone. simultaneously with many
In fact, the U.S. mail and the telephone may still be the most common people for little to no cost.
ways you communicate with people who are at a distance. ✓ Web-based email programs
allow messages to be written
Did you know, though, that more and more people are using the and read on any computer
connected to the internet.
Internet to communicate with friends, family, and co-workers? In fact, Remain aware of your
you can use the Internet to send mail to an individual or group of child’s internet activity and
people or have a real-time conversations just like on a telephone call. talk with them about it.
You can even use the Internet to videoconference with others – that is, ✓ Users need to be cautious
hold a conversation in which you can talk to a person AND see them at when opening email or email
attachments because they
the same time.
may contain inappropriate
information or files that could
Let’s explore some of the common ways to use the Internet to damage their computer.
communicate. ✓ The Internet allows two or
more people to send short,
What is email? type-based messages to each
In its simplest form, e-mail is an electronic message sent from one other (IM), join a chat room of
lengthy, on-going conversa-
device to another. While most messages go from computer to
tions or be seen and heard
computer, e-mail can also be sent and received by mobile phones, immediately while conducting
PDAs and other portable devices. To receive e-mail, you need an a web video conference.
account on a mail server that is similar to having a postal box where
you receive letters.
10
8
Sending and Receiving Email
You and your child may already have access to an email account through
What is e-mail?
your work or your child’s school. If not, then there are many differ-
In services available via the an electronic provide you from one device
entits simplest form, e-mail is web that can message sent with free email to another. While most
messages go from you have Internet access. To can out be sent and received by mobile phones,
accounts, providedcomputer to computer, e-mail find also more informa-
PDAs and how portable devices. To receive e-mail, you visit an account
tion about otherto set up and use email, you may want toneedsome of on a mail server. is is
similar to services.
these free having a postal box where you receive le ers.
COMPONENTS 1 Using an e-mail program, e message is sent e mail server examines the address. Just
you compose a message, to your Internet like when sending a le er, you need the
E-mail messages are similar to
address it and send it. service provider’s correct address. But with e-mail, spelling
le ers, with two main parts:
(ISP) mail server. and le size are critical. A mistyped
THE HEADER address or a achments that are
contains the NAME and
SEND
2 3 too large will bounce your
E-MAIL ADDRESS of the TO message back to you.
recipient, the name and CC ISP
Subject:
e-mail address of anyone Attachments:
who is being copied, and e server routes
the SUBJECT of the message. the message over
MA
IL the Internet;
THE BODY passing the e-mail
contains the message itself from one mail
server to another
ATTACHMENTS as it travels to its
destination.
With e-mail, you can send
and receive messages with 4
a achments, such as photos
or forma ed documents.
Your recipient logs Once it arrives at the
into her e-mail account destination mail server, it's
and retrieves the new stored in an electronic mailbox
PHOTOS TEXT messages waiting in her until the recipient retrieves it.
ISP server’s mailbox.
From: 5
To:
Subject: 6
VIDEO AUDIO Sent:
ISP
ELECTRONIC IL
MA
POSTMARK
e header tells your
recipient who else received
the message, who sent it
and when it was sent.
A key feature of an e-mail message is that it can be easily and quickly
forwarded to others. For example, if a friend sends you a great new
recipe that your family enjoys, you can send the recipe to several other
people in a matter of seconds. Forwarding e-mail can be a great way to
share information, but as with all aspects of the Internet, parents should
be careful about how their children (and themselves) forward messages
to others. Many veteran e-mail users have stories about messages they
accidentally forwarded to others, resulting in misunderstandings and hurt
feelings! 11
Other Ways that Email is Different from a Letter
Virtually any e-mail account allows you to add an attachment to a
message and send the attachment along with the e-mail message. An
attachment can be any computer file such as a word-processing docu-
ment, photograph, audio file, and even a video. As long as the file is avail-
able on a computer, you can attach it to an e-mail message and send it.
A major difference between e-mail and traditional communication
strategies, such as the postal service (“snail mail”) and the telephone, is
the ability to communicate with more than one person at the same time.
For example, if a student was writing a paper on her family history and
wanted several relatives to read a draft, using the postal service would
require that separate copies of the paper be mailed to each family
member. That is a lot more work (and cost) than sending one e-mail
message with the attached paper to several people at the same time.
Also, the e-mail responses could be received much more quickly, and the
other family members could potentially see everyone’s responses.
One useful way to send regular messages to the same group of people is
a listserv. A listserv lets you send one message to a single e-mail address,
and have that messages sent out to every person who belongs to the
listserv. Belonging to a listserv is called subscribing to the listserv. For
example, your child’s school may maintain a listserv to notify parents of
an early school closing due to snow or a severe storm. Rather than typing
each parent’s e-mail address, the school can send a single message to
the listserv e-mail address, saving valuable time. As long as parents are
subscribed to the listserv, they will get the message quickly.
Sending Email Safely
Once you or your child has an e-mail account, you can receive many
different types of unsolicited “junk” mail – called SPAM. Because it
is so easy to send e-mail to multiple recipients at the same time with
little to no cost, many businesses and organizations use the Internet to
send out “mass mailings” to potential customers via e-mail as opposed
to conventional mail. It is important to note that some group mailings,
such as messages sent via listservs, are very useful.
12
There are other potential issues with e-mail that you and your child
generally don’t have to worry about when you use conventional
mail. For example, because you have the ability to send and receive
computer files as attachments to your e-mail messages, there is the
possibility of receiving inappropriate material or files that contain
computer viruses that can damage your computer. Protecting your
computer and your family from these and other Internet nuisances is
described in more detail in Chapter 10, Chapter 12, and Chapter 13.
Other Ways to Send Messages Using the Internet
You can also use the Internet to have text-based “conversations”
with other people in “real-time” (no delay between sending and
receiving messages). One of the most common ways to have these
real-time conversations is via Instant Messaging (or IM). IM allows two
or more people connected to the Internet to send short messages to
one another via their computers. IM is very similar to text messaging,
or “texting,” using a cell phone, which is increasingly popular
among children.
Another popular way to have real-time text conversations is by
using chat rooms. Chat rooms provide a special area on the Internet
where people with similar interests can go and have text-based real
time discussions. People “meet” in chat rooms to discuss just about
anything, from favorite hobbies and television shows to academics
and medical treatments.
An entirely new vocabulary has been created by young people using
these text-based tools. This vocabulary, which relies heavily on acro-
nyms and abbreviations, allows someone to type common words and
phrases very quickly and with little effort. However, parents who are
not familiar with this vocabulary are at a disadvantage when monitor-
ing their children’s online activity. Included in the resources below are
links to some glossaries of common texting terms.
13
DATE
WITHIN FORUM
POST TITLE Blog Name FORUM
! !
Video of the Day
PICTURE OR THREAD
EMBEDDED TOPIC
VIDEO
COMMENTER/
ARTICLE AVATAR
TAGS
POST
COMMENTS
BLOGROLL SUBSCRIBE REPLY POST
TO RSS FEED
BUTTON
Guidelines for Safe Use of IM and Chat Rooms
WIKI: EDIT PAGE CHAT: CONTACT LIST CHAT WINDOW
Instant Messaging (IM) and chat rooms are powerful ways to commu-
HISTORY
nicate, but parents should understand a few basic safety rules. Like
SEARCH
TABLE OF
many public spaces in the real world, public chat rooms are open to
1.1
CONTENTS 1.2
1.3 AVAILABILITY
s laid
SITE
anyone. In some of them, no topic is off-limits, including those that
NAVIGATION
STATUS
TOOLBOX UPDATE
parents will find offensive or inappropriate.
ARTICLE
HYPERLINKS SETTINGS
AVATARS IN
In addition, because most IM and chat room conversations arePICTURE
REFERENCES
CHAT ROOM TYPING AREA
text-based, it is easy for people to remain anonymous or present
themselves as a different person. Parents may want to monitor their
children’s participation in IM and chat room conversations. More infor-
mation on keeping your child safe when using these communications
tools is described in more detail in Chapters 10, 12 and 13.
Other Ways to Communicate Using the Internet
In addition to communicating with others via text messages, the Internet
can be used to communicate by voice and video just like a telephone.
Talking over the Internet is referred to as Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP). To hold a voice conversation over the Internet, you need special
software, a microphone, and speakers or headphones connected to your
computer. To send video and voice, you need a web camera attached
to your computer. The combination of video and voice conversations
over the Internet is referred to as web video conferencing. The necessary
software and hardware range from inexpensive for basic versions to quite
expensive for versions with lots of advanced features.
Unlike traditional phone service, there are typically no additional charges
to use an Internet connection for voice and video conversations, regard-
less of where you are calling. Some VoIP and video conferencing soft-
ware programs even allow people to share documents, exchange text
messages, and view presentations as they talk.
14
Perhaps the newest form of Internet communication, done via a cell
phone and computer, is twittering. Twitter is a social networking and
micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other
users’ updates known as “tweets”. Tweets are text-based posts of up to
140 characters in length. Updates are displayed on the user’s profile
page and delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter for more information about
Conversation Starters
> In what ways do you use the Internet to talk with friends?
> How many e-mail accounts do you have? What are they?
> Whom do you usually contact by e-mail, and who e-mails you?
> Which friends do you IM with? What kinds of things do you talk about when you IM? How is
this different from when you use e-mail.
> I’ve heard that when people IM they use acronyms, like as TTYL for “Talk to You Later.” What
are some of these acronyms that you use with friends?
> How do you communicate differently when you are online than when you are face-to-face?
Web Resources:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email
> http://email.about.com/
> http://communication.howstuffworks.com/email.htm
> http://mail.google.com/
> http://mail.yahoo.com/
15
CHAPTER 4
Looking for Information
Finding a Needle in a Haystack is Easier Than You Think! Key Points
Suppose you needed to find some specific information such as a
telephone number or the definition of a word. You’d probably use a ✓ The Internet allows a user to
search for information on any
resource that includes that particular information such as a telephone
subject and provides feed-
directory or dictionary. If your child were working on a report for back in the form of words,
school, you may go with him to the public library and help him search pictures, video, or music. .
for resources such as books or magazines related to the topic of the ✓ A search engine is a web
report. Did you know, though, that many people are now using the site designed to help users
Internet to search for these and other types of information? find information stored
on other web sites.
In fact, the Internet can be used to locate information about practically ✓ There are many different types
of search engines, including
anything – from telephone numbers and addresses, to current and
some designed specifically
past news stories about a particular topic, to the location of a specific for children, which provide
city or country. And, with the Internet you aren’t limited to searching only “child-friendly” informa-
tion and search results.
for just text-based information. You can search for pictures, video,
music, and a variety of other kinds of resources.
Let’s explore some of the basic way to use the Internet to look
for information.
Using the Internet to Find Information
When someone wants to find information on the Internet, they gener-
ally conduct a search using a tool referred to as a search engine. A
search engine is a Web site designed to find information stored on
other Web sites.
By using a specific word or phrase – otherwise known as keywords
– supplied by the person conducting the search - the search engine
generates a list of Web sites and other resources available on the
Internet that are related to the keywords.
16
14
How does a Search Engine Search?
Each search engine uses their own incredibly complex and varied formu-
How Does a Search Engine Search?
las. Since each engine works differently, results may vary based on which
Each search engine uses its own incredibly complex and varied formulas. Since each engine works di er-
one you use.
ently, results may vary based on which one you use.
QUERY CRAWL
You type a question Search engines
or key word in the continually send spiders to
“crawl” Web pages, index its
W
dialogue box on the
O
information and optimally follow
RL
search engine’s
D
site. sites’ links to other pages.
W
ID
EW
1
EB
2 SORT
Search engine so ware
instantaneously sorts
through millions of pages in
its indexed database to nd
matches to your query.
NG INE
RC HE
SEA
3
EB
EW
RESULTS
ID
W
Results are ranked in D
RL
order of how close O
the result has come INDEX W
Web sites that pay to have their site at
to your search words. Everything these spiders nd goes
the top of the list when speci c words
into the search engine database
are typed are called “sponsored links”
for quick response to queries.
and are visually separated from the
rest, usually in a colored box.
What Do I Need to Be Able to Search for Information?
Because most search engines are available via the web, you can access
and use these tools through your web browser at no cost. All you
need to know is the Web site address of the search engine. You and
your child may have already heard about some of the more popular
search engines such as Google (http://www.google.com) or Yahoo!
(http://www.yahoo.com). However, there are literally hundreds of
different search engines available for you to use via the web.
17
Different Types of Search Engines
Although many search engines are designed to search for information
based on the keywords provided, there are also search engines that
you can use to find specific types of information. For example,
if you wanted to locate information about a specific country, you may
want to visit the CIA World Factbook. To locate government docu-
ments and publications, you could use the Library of Congress’
search engine.
In addition, there are even tools that allow you to search for informa-
tion using a variety of search engines at the same time. These types
of tools are referred to as meta search engines. Visual search engines
provide visual views of search results, which may appeal to children
with visual learning styles.
There are also search engines available that are designed specifically
for children. These types of search engines focus search results on
Web sites that are geared towards children while excluding Web sites
that are considered inappropriate for children.
Strategies for Searching for Information
Although the Internet can be used to search for information very
quickly and easily, this can also make it difficult to find specific infor-
mation. Many times a search engine will return literally thousands of
results based on a single keyword or phrase. However, there are a
variety of different strategies you can use to refine and enhance your
searches. Most search engines provide excellent tutorials on using
keywords and other tips on advanced searching.
Remembering Search Results
Once a search engine has helped you locate a Web site that contains
the information you wanted to find, you may want to save the location
of the Web site in case you want to return to that site at another time.
Creating favorites or bookmarks is the easiest way for you to save links
to Web sites that you may want to visit again. This feature is built into
every web browser, so there are no additional tools that you need in
18
order to be able to do this. Having your browser track sites for you in
this way is a great timesaver.
What Do I Need to Be Able to Search for Information?
Because most search engines are available via the web, you can access
and use these tools through your web browser at no cost. All you
need to know is the Web site address of the search engine. You and
your child may have already heard about some of the more popular
search engines such as Google (http://www.google.com) or Yahoo!
(http://www.yahoo.com). However, there are literally hundreds of
different search engines available for you to use via the web..
Once a search engine has helped you locate a Web site that contains
the information you wanted to find, you may want to save the location
of the Web site in case you want to return to that site at another time.
Creating favorites or bookmarks is the easiest way for you to save links
to Web sites that you may want to visit again. This feature is built into
every web browser, so there are no additional tools that you need in
order to be able to do this. Having your browser track sites for you in
this way is a great timesaver.
Searching Productively and Safely
The Internet provides an incredible resource of information for you
and your children, but all of this information is not necessarily useful
or appropriate for everyone. Depending on the keywords or phrases
you or your child may use, search engines can provide Web sites or
resources in the search results that you may consider inappropriate.
There are several methods parents can use to address this concern. As
mentioned previously, there are many “child friendly” search engines
available that allow children to look for information on the Internet
without having to worry about receiving inappropriate Web sites in
the search results. Many search engines also have “parental control”
features that allow a parent to limit what the search engine provides as
a result of a child’s search.
19
Evaluating Information
Using the Internet as a search tool also provides you and your child
with the opportunity to be good evaluators and consumers of infor-
mation. Any time you are searching for information, you will find
resources that you consider to be more accurate, relevant, and useful
to you, and resources that are less so. Some sites that are returned by
the search engine will not be particularly relevant to your needs, while
others may contain inaccurate, incomplete or biased information.
Thus, it is important to be able to evaluate the quality of the informa-
tion provided on any Web site or other Internet resource.
Conversation Starters
> How do you find the web sites you visit?
> What search engines do you use?
> What are some successful searching strategies? How do you know what key
words to use in a search?
> Do you know how to bookmark web sites? If so, which ones have you
bookmarked?
> What are some ways you use to determine the quality of the information you
find on a web site?
Web Resources
> http://websearch.about.com/library/tableofcontents/blsearchenginetableofcon-
tents.htm
> http://www.dmoz.org/
> http://www.ipl.org/
> http://www.lii.org/
✓ http://vlib.org/
20
CHAPTER 5
Sharing Content Online
Introduction
People love to share, and children are no different: music, videos,
Key Points
schoolwork, jokes, stories, gossip, games, even the odd complaint
about parents. A generation ago, this sharing happened over the ✓ Tools available on the Internet
phone, through the mail, or during face-to-face interactions. allow users to create and share
text, images, audio and video.
The Internet, however, makes it much easier to share. With hundreds ✓ These tools also allow users to
comment on and contribute
of millions of people available online at any given time, the Internet is
to material posted by others.
a natural vehicle for sharing. If you are looking for a specific piece of
information – a song by an obscure artist, a story by a favorite author, ✓ Because this content is based
on user opinion, it is not
or a recipe for pumpkin porridge –somewhere on the Internet you always free of bias or neces-
can probably find someone who is willing to share it with you. sarily completely accurate.
Yet many families find it difficult to locate good resources, have trou-
ble finding ways to share with others, and are unaware of the security
risks involved with sharing.
Let’s discuss some basics about sharing information on the Internet.
How Information Can Be Shared
The Internet provides many ways to share information. They include
e-mail, texting, podcasts, wikis, phone calls, social networking sites,
and peer-to-peer networking, among many others. The sharing strate-
gies range from the very personal – for example, directly e-mailing a
file to someone – to the rather impersonal, such as downloading music
from iTunes, Napster, or a related service.
The strategies also range from the private (peer-to-peer networks,
e-mail again) to the very public (commercial sites that allow you to pay
for and download music or video files, webblogs, wikis). Sharing tools
are among the most popular aspects of the Internet, especially among
children and adolescents.
21
19
Blogs
Blogs are essentially online journals. However, the person who writes
the blog, (called a blogger), can add hyperlinks, images, files and other
online resources. Blogs can be private or public. If public, readers
can review and comment on the blog. Internet users can subscribe
to the blog and receive updates similar to a newspaper or magazine
subscription.
Anatomy of Web Communities
Blogs, forums, wikis, and instant messaging are some
Although blogs can be helpful and often entertaining, information of the most popular forms of community-dri
internet communication. Blogs, short for “Web edited
gathered from blogs should be used carefully. Blogs are rarely Log” contain journal-like entries, usually maintaine
in the manner of a newspaper, magazine, or news organization Web
one person in reverse chronological order. Forums are like bulletin boards, where people can ha
site, so constant updates and “unfiltered” content that can make blogs
open discussions on any number of topics. Wikis are sites that allow users to edit the content. An
attractive also raises concerns about the quality and reliability of
instant
information.messaging so ware lets you see when your friends are online and chat with them in real ti
BLOG: AUTHOR(S) ARCHIVE FORUM: FORUM RULES SEARCH
DATE LOCATION
WITHIN FORUM
POST TITLE Blog Name FORUM
! !
Video of the Day
PICTURE OR THREAD
EMBEDDED TOPIC
VIDEO
COMMENTER/
ARTICLE AVATAR
TAGS
POST
COMMENTS
BLOGROLL SUBSCRIBE REPLY POST
TO RSS FEED
BUTTON
WIKI: EDIT PAGE
After all, a traditional diary or journal is usually meant to record the CHAT: CONTACT LIST CHAT WIN
HISTORY
private thoughts of the writer. Bloggers, in contrast, have decided to
share their thoughts with the world, and their comments may reflect
SEARCH
personal opinion, push a particular agenda or bias, or promote a
TABLE OF 1.1
product they hope to sell.
CONTENTS 1.2
1.3 AVAILABILITY
s laid
SITE 22
NAVIGATION
STATUS
TOOLBOX UPDATE
ARTICLE
Podcasts
In many ways, a podcast is like a short online radio show or Internet
newscast, created by amateurs as well as professionals. The major
difference is that podcasts are downloaded to your computer, MP3
player, or other digital entertainment device (see Chapter 11), allow-
ing you to listen to the podcasts when and where you would like.
The word “podcast” grew out of the use of the Apple Computer’s
popular portable media player, the iPod. As with blogs, a podcast
can be posted by an individual on a personal Web site or sponsored
by an organization, news service, or corporation.Many podcasts are
part of a series and are released frequently. Users can subscribe to the
podcast and receive notices of relevant updates. Several Web sites
and online services provide directories of podcasts.
Shared Online Video
Online shared video Web sites have been highly popular for shar-
ing, rating, and viewing information. These videos can be created by
amateurs or professionals such as news agencies like the BBC, CNN, or
MSNBC. Many of these videos are freely available, although users can
subscribe to some services for a fee.
For instance, major motion pictures, television shows, and even music
videos can be purchased over the Internet with numerous sites includ-
ing Apple iTunes. For free video viewing, one might visit TeacherTube,
YouTube, SciVee, SchoolTube, Google Video, AOL Video, Howcast, or
Metacafe.
Some videos can be downloaded to a computer for later viewing,
but many people view them through their Internet browser using
a process called streaming. Streamed videos can usually be played
by merely clicking on the video, but the video is not saved to your
computer and cannot be replayed unless you are connected to the
Internet.
23
Blogs, forums, wikis, and instant messaging are some of the most popular forms of community-driven
internet communication. Blogs, short for “Web Log” contain journal-like entries, usually maintained by
one person in reverse chronological order. Forums are like bulletin boards, where people can have
open discussions on any number of topics. Wikis are sites that allow users to edit the content. And
instant messaging so ware lets you see when your friends are online and chat with them in real time.
Wikis
BLOG: AUTHOR(S) ARCHIVE FORUM: FORUM RULES SEARCH
A wiki is a Web page that allows multiple users to add and edit
DATE LOCATION
content. One example of a wiki Web page is Wikipedia.org, a Web WITHIN
FORUM
Blog Name
site where TITLE from around the world write and edit the entries FORUM
POST people
! !
Video of the Day
that essentially comprise the world’s biggest encyclopedia. A wiki
PICTURE OR THREAD
EMBEDDED TOPIC
not be
needVIDEO so large, however. The group using a wiki for a project
COMMENTER/
might be small, with only a few editors or contributors, or it might
ARTICLE AVATAR
involve an entire organization or learning community which is inter-
TAGS
ested in the topic contained in the wiki. Wikis are typically easy to POST
COMMENTS
create, access, and use, although users should be aware that some
have high
wikis may not be well-edited or may not SUBSCRIBE levels of quality
BLOGROLL REPLY POST
TO RSS FEED
control regarding the accuracy of the information.
BUTTON
WIKI: EDIT PAGE CHAT: CONTACT LIST CHAT WINDOW
HISTORY
SEARCH
TABLE OF 1.1
CONTENTS 1.2
1.3 AVAILABILITY
s laid
SITE
NAVIGATION
STATUS
TOOLBOX UPDATE
ARTICLE
HYPERLINKS SETTINGS
AVATARS IN
REFERENCES PICTURE
CHAT ROOM TYPING AREA
Peer-to-peer Networking
Peer-to-peer networking, or “P2P,” is perhaps the most controversial
type of Internet sharing. It allows users to view files on one another’s
computers, with the ability to manipulate and copy those files. For
example, a teenage composer could post copies of her recent musi-
cal works on her computer, tell her friends the files are available, and
let those friends “reach” into her computer to copy the files to their
computers. P2P can be a very useful tool when, for instance, students
are working together on a school project. But problems arise when the
files being shared are copyrighted or in some other way are the intel-
lectual property of someone other than the peers.
24
Anatomy of a Peer-to-Peer Network
Traditional Web sites use a client-server connection. You connect to a
Web site and exchange information with it. ‘Peer-to-Peer networking
treats every user in a network as a server, allowing them to exchange
information from multiple sources at the same time.
TRADITIONAL CLIENT-SERVER CONNECTION PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK
Conversation Starters
> Do you have a personal blog? What do you blog about?
> Has anyone ever commented on a blog post you have made?
> Have you ever commented on someone’s blog? What did you comment on?
> Have you ever watched videos on the Web? What kinds of things do you watch?
> Have you ever posted, shared, or commented on an online video?
> Have you ever downloaded a podcast from the Web?
What made it interesting enough to download it?
> Have you ever read a blog, viewed a video, or listened to a podcast of someone on the Internet
that made you think differently about that person?
> Have you ever visited a wiki (for example, Wikipedia) to obtain information for a school project?
> Have you used peer-to-peer networking before? Do you know anyone who does? Are you aware
of the risks of using peer-to-peer networking?
Web Resources
> http://www.childnet-int.org/music/parents.html
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_sharing
> http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST05-007.html
> http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt128.shtm
> http://www.wiredsafety.org/safety/downloading_music_safety/p2p/index.html
25
CHAPTER 6
Collaborating
and Discussing Online
The Ability to Work with Others – Many Others
Anyone living in the 21st Century with an Internet connection will
Key Points
soon realize that it has changed how people live, work, and socialize.
The Internet has made it easy to build new relationships with others, ✓ The Internet has made it
design projects and products, and exchange documents in an inexpen- possible to share documents
with anyone in the world
sive and highly efficient manner.
efficiently and inexpensively.
ities This is true for individuals at home as well as those working in small ✓ Tools available on the Internet
make it possible for groups to
businesses, large popular forms government agencies.
essaging are some of the most corporations, andof community-drivenIt is also collaborate in the creation and
true for those in schools, colleges and universities, and community development of information
rt for “Web Log” contain journal-like entries, usually maintained by resources completely online.
agencies. Some tools are specific to a particular job setting; others
al order. Forums are like bulletin boards, where people can have
can be used across many settings. These Web-based collaborations
are sites that allow users to forums, content. wikis,
f topics. Wikis are evident in online discussionedit thegroupware,And and other
u see when your friends are online and chat with them in real time.
online Web applications.
RCHIVE FORUM: FORUM RULES SEARCH
LOCATION
WITHIN FORUM
me FORUM
! !
THREAD
TOPIC
COMMENTER/
AVATAR
POST
UBSCRIBE REPLY POST
O RSS FEED
UTTON
Internet Discussion Forums
Web site LIST
A discussion forum is aCONTACTwhere individuals with common inter-
CHAT: CHAT WINDOW
HISTORY ests, goals, and needs can share and discuss ideas and find solutions
to their problems. A forum is the digital equivalent of a traditional
26
24
AVAILABILITY
STATUS
Video of the Day
PICTURE OR THREAD
EMBEDDED TOPIC
VIDEO
COMMENTER/
ARTICLE AVATAR
TAGS
POST
COMMENTS
BLOGROLL SUBSCRIBE REPLY POST
TO RSS FEED
BUTTON
bulletin board, with the added bonus of being able to interact with WIKI: EDIT PAGE CHAT: CONTA
HISTORY
people and access the information from any computer. Responses
SEARCH
to a post can arrive within minutes or come days, weeks, months, or TABLE OF 1.1
CONTENTS
even years later. Participation in a discussion forum can occur at any
1.2
1.3
s laid
AVAILABILITY
SITE
time or from any place with an Internet connection. Unlike a chat NAVIGATION
STATUS
TOOLBOX UPDATE
room, discussion forum interaction is typically not instantaneous, since
ARTICLE
anyone can post at any time. HYPERLINKS SETTINGS
AVATA
REFERENCES PICTURE
CHAT
These forums can foster collaboration in many ways. For example,
users can post questions to a forum, such as asking when a new televi-
sion show is scheduled or asking if anyone knows where the user can
find a good article on a specific topic. Participation in a discussion
forum usually requires some type of membership and password
access.
Wikis as a Collaboration Tool
As described in Chapter 5, wikis are online documents that can be
used to collect, in one public place, the ideas and information shared
by many people. Wikis can also be used to create glossaries, dictionar-
ies, how-to manuals, books, projects, and other documents on a vast
array of subjects and topics. Wiki documents can be edited, changed,
deleted, and hyperlinked thousands of times.
Wikis are primarily designed to be collaboration tools. In fact, Chapter
2 of this parent guide was written using a wiki, with several writers and
experts contributing to the chapter. By using a wiki, partners can work
together, regardless of their location and whether they are all available
at the same time. For many projects, the freedom from having to be in
the same location at the same time can greatly increase productivity.
Web-Based Applications
Web-based applications allow members to create, edit, and comment
on a document with more formatting and interaction options than a
wiki. Although wikis typically produce simple Web pages, Web-based
application tools have more specific purposes such as word process-
ing, spreadsheets, and presentations. One particular type of web
application is a web group. Web-based groups allow people to
27
collaborate and interact in their own public or private space on the
Internet. Much of this parent guide was written using on online group!
Web-based applications are expected to be increasingly popular in
the coming years, since they allow people to collaborate regardless of
the software they have on their own computers – the web provides
the software for them.
As is the case with wikis, using a web-based group can increase
productivity by freeing people from having to be in the same physical
location at the same time as they collaborate, and they do not even
need to be at the same kind of computer.
Conversation Starters
> Have you ever visited an Internet discussion forum? What did you learn?
> Have you contributed to a Wiki? Which one? How did you do it?
> Do you use Web-based tools to work with others (such as Google Docs and
Spreadsheets)? Are there ways such tools could help you with schoolwork?
Web Resources
> http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-internet-forum.htm
> http://www.pta.org/ptaActivePage.asp?pg=/bb
> http://www.forummatrix.org/
> http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Main_Page
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
28
CHAPTER 7
Socializing Online:
Social Networking and Virtual Worlds
Introduction Key Points
Most people grew up in neighborhoods where they hung out with
other kids and made friends at school. They may have collected ✓ Social networking sites allow
individuals to use the Internet
baseball cards, dolls, clothes, or beanie babies and exchanged them
to interact with each other and
with friends, while listening to the latest music on the radio, CDs or create communities of interest.
audiotape.
✓ Social networking users
create individual profiles
Children and adults do the same things today but more and more of it by adding pictures, videos,
is in online or “virtual” spaces instead of face-to-face meetings. Online messages and music.
social networks allow children and young adults with common inter- ✓ Connecting with other people
ests to interact with each other over the Internet. or joining interest groups
expands a user’s personal
network by linking profiles.
In fact, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 55% of
✓ Users need to be aware
all online American youths ages 12-17 use online social networking of safety concerns when
sites. Baseball diamonds and playgrounds are being supplemented by socializing online.
MySpace and Facebook.
Social Networking Tools
Social networking tools and sites allow children as well as adults to
interact with each other over the Internet. These sites allow users to
communicate with friends and family as well as meet new people from
around the world.
In social networks, users create Web-based profiles (which are similar
to the information provided in personal homepages). By linking their
profiles or becoming “friends” with other users of the site, users can
easily share or update their ‘friends’ with new information, ideas, or
interests.
Typically, to create a profile in a social networking site, the user must
provide an email address, country of residence, postal code, and date
or year of birth (which can be made private) and then create a unique
username and password of their choosing. 29
27
YOUR PROFILE: the “BRAND”of you
Social Networks: What’s the big deal?
The manner in which you portray yourself to the world through the
e Internet
important. It be powerful tool for searching out to a
Internet is veryhas proven tomayaseem as if you are simply talking and engaging in various forms of social
networking. If you sat down with a pen and paper, it would be di cult to map out all the people with
friend in your living room, but in the Internet it is possible that more
whom you're connected and all the people with whom they're connected. Web sites called social
“listeners” are there than you expect. There are a few basic steps to
networking sites make these invisible social networks visible by allowing us to see entire networks in
using most social networking sites:
easy-to-use interfaces. ere are a few basic steps to using most social networking sites:
1 POST YOUR PERSONAL PROFILE personalize your pro
Most social networking sites allow you to le by lling
2 SET YOUR SECURITY
Control who can view your full pro le. Some sites
out short descriptions of yourself and your interests, answering detailed only allow "friends," or people who you've added to
questions, or by uploading media les -- such as photos, music and video. your network, to see all the information on your
Some social networking sites allow you to change the way the pro le page pro le while the general public can only see basic
looks to make it even more unique. information like your pro le photo, age and location.
! BE A SMART PARTICIPANT
EV However you dress it up, keep in
EN
TS mind that you shouldn’t show
S T S PH
IE ND R ES NO OT anything here that you wouldn’t
FR TE V OS
N TS S / IN my display in your living room. Here
M ME A ME pic are a few other things to keep in
s
CO /G mind as you build your brand
A ND B IES
OG H OB and make connections:
BL
OG
BL
! Pay a ention to the details in
me
photographs and don’t reveal
information you might not
otherwise show, like addresses or
license plates. Once someone has
downloaded any media you have
posted, it’s beyond your control,
Ruth
so it’s best to assume what you
is ready for the weekend! write or post on a social-
STATUS UPDATE networking site is permanent.
Even if you eventually delete your
account, photos and comments
MAIL AND
YOUR still exist on other people's pages
! MESSAGES FRIEND YOU
and computers.
YOUR
FRIEND’S
3
FRIENDS
FIND YOUR FRIENDS
ere are many ways to make connections on
YOUR social networking sites: you can invite your o ine
FRIEND’S friends to join, search the site for friends who are
FRIENDS’ already members, friends can make introductions
FRIENDS
that would be di cult to do physically, or you
simply might come across interesting people
you’d like to reach out to.
4
! ADD CONTACTS TO YOUR NETWORK
Whatever social network Once you nd someone you’d like to connect with,
site you’re on, you should you send a message asking them to join your social
understand that many of Be selective about who you accept as network. If the other person accepts the invitation,
these Web pages can be a friend on a social network. Identity you're automatically added to their social network
viewed by anyone with thieves might create fake pro les in as well. Being a part of a network can make it easy
access to the Internet. order to get information from you. for people to nd and send invitations to you, too.
30
Social Networks: What’s the Big Deal?
The Internet has proven to be a powerful tool for searching out
and engaging in various forms of social networking. If you sat down
with a pen and paper, it would be difficult to map out all the people
with whom you’re connected and all the people with whom they’re
connected. Web sites called social networking sites make these invis-
ible social networks visible by allowing us to see entire networks in
easy-to-use interfaces.
Avatar
A profile page is where you can share information about yourself and
give people an idea of where you’ve been and what you’ve been
Anatomy of a Pro le Page
doing. You can share the places you’ve lived, schools you’ve attended,
A pro le where you’ve worked, your information about yourself and
companiespage is where you can share Web site address, and more. give people an idea of where
all adds up and what you've been doing. You can share social
Ityou've beento who you are. The components of a typical the places you've lived, schools you've
a ended, profile are shown below:
networkingcompanies where you've worked, your web site address, and more. It all adds up to who
you are. e components of a typical social networking pro le are shown below:
GENERAL INFO BLOG
An area for your general personal Short for “Web log”. Write articles
AVATAR information such as name, age, here and publish them for anyone
Also known as Pro le location, contact info and interests. to read or just your friends.
Picture, it’s an image you
choose to represent
PHOTOS
yourself, appearing at ABOUT ME ruth's rants my pics
Upload pictures
the top of your page
Ruth and arrange them
and beside posts you
into albums. Add
write on other pages.
key words, called
tags, to make them
Ruth is...
STATUS UPDATE easy to search for.
A brief message about
your current thoughts,
mood, or activities that email to do: Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun APPS
is usually updated
add me CUSTOM APPS
chat
frequently. Customize your page
by adding di erent
so ware/applications
MAIL of your choice. Play
games, get concert
Send messages within
From Date Bulletin updates, or set up a
the site (like e-mail or
virtual bookshelf.
chat live with instant
messaging).
FRIENDS LIST
See who you’re
connected to and
who’s currently on-line
and available. CALENDAR BULLETIN/FEED
Keep track of your upcoming events or See recent activity from your friends, like
share calendars with friends to see what when they write a blog or post new photos.
everyone is doing.
31
Popular Social Networking Tools
Popular social networking tools in the United States include Facebook
and MySpace. Other tools such as Plaxo and LinkedIn, are often used
by business people looking for work-related connections, information,
and jobs. Participation in such networks is typically free. These sites
can include applications for sharing graphics, email messages, and
videos.
Some people use social networking as a means to promote or market
their career or business. Increasingly, musicians, actors, artists, photog-
raphers, and writers for example are creating personal pages and
special interest groups within social networking sites.
Other people simply use them to stay in touch with their peers or
to provide additional ways to communicate with friends, family, and
people with similar interests. More information on keeping safe while
using Social Networking tools can be found in Chapter 13.
Virtual Worlds
Virtual worlds are online environments that simulate a wide variety of
situations, geographic locations, environments, and communities. These
virtual worlds might revolve around a fantasy world of unknown plan-
ets or the inner workings of companies such as Dell Computer or IBM.
To access an online virtual world community, requires that you first
become a member. Some of these worlds are free to explore, while
others require a monthly or annual subscription fee. When first logging
on to a virtual community, a user must create an avatar.
An avatar is a character that represents the user and moves within the
virtual world to interact with the avatars of other participants. The look,
clothes, skills, and personality of the avatar are all customizable by the
user. Depending on the virtual world, users can communicate with each
other using text chat, visual signs, and their own voice (assuming one
has a microphone connected to the computer).
32
Conversation Starters
> Do you have a social networking profile? If so, at what sites? Can we take a look at
it?
> About how much time would you say you spend socializing online?
> If your teacher (or employer) was to visit your profile, would that person be
surprised by it? How about our relatives?
> What do you expect from your online friends? Do they provide the same kind of
friendship that your real-life friends do?
> What have your friends posted about you on their social networking sites?
> Are you as aware of what you post on your friends’ sites as you are of what you
post on your own?
> Do you know whether what someone has posted to a social networking site is
true?
> Have you visited a virtual world?
Web Resources
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network_service
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites
> http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_50/b3963001.htm
> http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/mobile_social_networking.php
> http://www.ikeepsafe.org/PRC/videotutorials/myspace/
33
CHAPTER 8
Communicating on the Go:
Mobile Technologies
Wherever You Go, There You and the Internet Are Key Points
In the early days of the computer revolution, people and their
computers were tied to their desks – the early computers were too ✓ The Internet can now be
accessed on a variety of
bulky and fragile to move frequently.
mobile devices such as
laptops, cell phones, and
Today, much of our advanced technology is tied to us, wherever we other hand held devices.
may be. This portability makes technology more useful to people in ✓ Many of the same activities and
many ways. Being able to access the Internet from almost any location services available via the inter-
greatly enhances productivity. This is especially true in our informa- net on a computer are also avail-
able on mobile devices, includ-
tion-based society – when people need to communicate, share, shop, ing email, audio and video.
or otherwise access information on the run, mobile technologies make
✓ All of the same device protec-
it happen.
tions and personal precau-
tions that apply to internet
Laptops based computers also apply
Laptop or notebook computers are notebook sized mobile devices to laptops, cell phones and
that tend to weigh just a few pounds, thereby making them portable. other mobile devices which
connect to the internet.
Laptops can run on battery power often for a few hours and can be
plugged in for electrical recharging or as the primary source of power.
Due to the falling price of hardware, increases in speed and storage
capacity, coupled with expanding wireless access to the Internet,
laptops are becoming the computing device of choice for both
younger and older individuals. Some schools, communities, and even
entire states are adopting laptop programs for K-12 education, and
the use of laptops is increasing on college campuses as well.
Because they are not fixed to a desk or particular location, laptops
provide a more flexible computing option for many people. This flex-
ibility can come in handy for students in particular who may need to
work at home, at school on the bus, or at a library or friend’s house.
However, laptops can be fragile compared to other computing and
some mobile devices, and because of the needs of portability, the
speed and storage capacity are often less than with comparable
34
32
desktop computers. In general, laptops are also more expensive than
similarly equipped desktop machines.
Parents should also keep in mind that laptops are no different from
desktop computers when it comes to computing safety and security.
See Chapters 11 and 13 for more information on securing computers.
Cell Phones
No technology device has seen so much transformation in the last
decade as the cellular or mobile phone. Increasingly cell phones, not
only allow people to make phone calls, but they are mini-computers
that support text messaging, cameras, TV, video, music and access
to the entire Internet, from almost anywhere anyone might find
themselves.
For this reason, cell phones are incredibly popular: Recent estimates
suggest that there are over 250 million cell phone subscribers in
America as of 2008. Almost anything that has been discussed in this
guide up to this point can be done on a mobile phone.
For many parents, this is critically important, particularly when it comes
to keeping up with your child’s communications through email, IM and
social networking. Guidelines for respectful and safe use of cell phones
are included in Chapter 12.
Digital Entertainment Devices and MP3 Players
In addition to cell phones and laptop computers, many people learn
from other types of mobile devices. One such device, the MP3 player,
had its debut in the late 1990s as a digital music player. MP3 play-
ers are mobile music devices that help one store, organize, and play
digital music files. However, over time people began to create digital
devices that could play video in addition to music files.
Many digital entertainment devices can play music, video (such as TV
shows, music videos, and movies), games, and podcasts. A number of
educational podcasts, in both audio and video format, are widely avail-
able for children and students of all ages. 35
Conversation Starters
> What’s your favorite mobile device? Why?
> What is your favorite way to communicate with
your friends?
> What kinds of things do you like to use your cell
phone for?
> Do you use your (hand held gaming device / game
console) for anything other than playing games?
> Have you ever used something other than a desk-
top computer to access
the Internet? How was it different?
> Do you ever answer phone numbers or messages
from numbers/people
you do not know?
> Have you ever watched TV shows or movies on a
mobile device?
How was it?
Web Resources
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laptop
> http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/2008/
laptop_notebook.asp
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Laptop_Per_Child
> http://www.wiredsafety.org/safety/chat_safety/phone_safety/index.
html
> http://www.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone.htm
36
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER
Playing Online
The World is Your Sandbox Key Points
Every parent knows how much children love games. Be it tic-tac-toe,
chess, sports, video games, or last-one-to-the-car-is-a-rotten-egg, ✓ Electronic games can be
played on home computers
children love to play. Researchers have found considerable evidence
and cell phones as well as on
that playing can have considerable social and intellectual benefits for dedicated consoles and hand
children. held portable game systems.
✓ Many of these game systems
Play is a way that children learn social skills, learn how to solve prob- can also connect to the Internet,
lems (both by themselves and in groups), and develop their creativity. can support messaging, playing
music and video, and download-
Games are often designed to sharpen specific cognitive and physical ing content from the Internet.
skills, such as memory, hand-eye coordination, logical thinking, etc.
✓ Online, multi-user game play
And, as many parents can tell you during a snow day or summer vaca-
is a growing part of gam-
tion, playing games can just be a fun, entertaining diversion. ing and can involve people
from all over the world.
Given the enduring popularity and importance of play, it is not ✓ Playing technology-based games
surprising that the rapid growth of the Internet provides a wide range can be a constructive learn-
ing experience in moderation
of new opportunities for children to play. Technology-based games
and if monitored properly.
tend to fall into one of several broad categories, which are described
in this section. As with all types of playing and games, using technol-
ogy for play can be a solitary activity, or it can be a group activity
ranging from one playmate to hundreds. Along with the use of the
Internet as a gaming arena comes the increasing popularity of group
gaming (you can always find someone to play with when the world is
your sandbox), while single person games remain popular as well.
Handheld Games
Handheld electronic games have been widely available since the
1970s. Orginally, these small units were designed to play a single
game, such as baseball, football, or basketball, and relied on LED lights
rather than pictures or animation. Slightly more sophisticated versions
emerged in the early 1980s, had very simple graphics and concepts,
and some remain available in major retail stores to this day.
37
35
Beginning in the late 1980s, however, video game companies began to
produce handheld gaming systems that played multiple games. Rather
than buy one unit for each game, the consumer bought a “console,”
such as the Nintendo GameBoy, and purchased separate cartridges
that each contained a different game. The sophistication of these
handheld games continued to increase during the 1990s, and today a
wide range of handheld units are available.
Today, many of these game systems do much more than simply play
games; they can connect to the Internet, play music and video, and
download and upload Internet content. Examples include the Sony
PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Xbox, and Nintendo DS. The simple –
almost primitive – handheld games of a generation ago have evolved
to become truly “personal” computers, in the sense that children can
carry around a device that allows them to do many of the same things
are possible on desktop or laptop computer.
Video Game Consoles
Although video game consoles existed for much of the second half
of the 20th Century, the explosion of the popularity of arcade video
games created a huge market for home-based video consoles by
the late 1970s. Popular consoles, which once again played games
that were bought separately, include ColecoVision, the Atari 2600,
and Mattel Intellivision. Very popular games such as Pong and Space
Invaders led to consumers buying huge numbers of consoles for home
use. By the early 1980s, however, the popularity of these consoles had
waned, and most manufacturers stopped making video game consoles
by the early- to mid-1980s.
All of this changed with the release of the Nintendo Entertainment
System in the mid-1980s. Much more technologically sophisticated
than earlier consoles, the NES and some of its popular games, such as
Super Mario Brothers, reignited an interest in home consoles. By the
mid-1990s, a number of new consoles were released, including the
Sega Saturn, Sony PlayStation, and Nintendo 64. A major shift during
this phase of console gaming was a move from cartridge-based to
CD-based games. 38
Several subsequent generations of consoles have been developed,
with each successive wave having more complex graphics and
gameplay.
Nearly all current, popular consoles have High Definition graphics,
DVD-based games, the ability to play CDs and DVDs, and advanced
features such as Internet capability that often make their screen
displays and internet access capabilities difficult to distinguish from
desktop or laptop computers. As with the handheld devices, play
over the Internet with other gamers is very popular. Examples of
such devices include the Sony Playstation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and
Nintendo Wii.
Computer-based Games
Games have always been available for personal computers. These
games may range from flight simulators to realistic sports games to
highly complex, real-time strategy games. A large majority of the
games are similar, if not identical, to versions created for the console-
based systems described earlier. However, unique games designed
primarily for personal computers tend to be strategy focused, such
Age of Empires Rise of Nations or Civilization. As with other videog-
ame types, many of these PC-based games allow for gameplay with
other players over the Internet.
Virtual “Worlds”
Self-contained online “worlds” are becoming very popular among
young children. Many of these sites, such as Webkinz, Ganzworld, and
BuildABear, are sponsored by toy companies, and entry into the sites
is facilitated by purchasing one of the company’s toys (often stuffed
animals or other figurines).
Other sites, such as Whyville and Club Penguin, are not toy-based but
have similar designs and activities. These sites tend to contain games,
art activities, and fantasy play that often involve interaction with other
children who are visiting the site. Social interaction is generally limited
to gameplay and can be controlled and limited by parents. As always,
parental supervision is advised when children are using these sites. 39
Educators have also begun to design virtual worlds in which all of the
participant’s activities and behaviors are focused on learning specific
skills and attitudes.
A third type of virtual world includes sites that allow people – gener-
ally adults – to interact with others in the context of an online world.
For example, in the virtual world “Second Life,” one of the numerous
virtual world sites available to the public, you create a personalized
character, or avatar, and use it to navigate the world. Inside the world
you can collect items (e.g. articles of clothing, real estate, vehicles etc.),
visit places that people have created within the world (e.g. museums,
virtual versions of businesses that exist in the real world), or simply
chat with any of the thousands of other people exploring the virtual
world.
Active Worlds, on the other hand, allows users to create their own
personal world and link them to worlds created by others. You could
find a town in the Wild West next to a rainforest depending on how
people have linked them and want you to experience them. Active
Worlds allows you to chat with other users that are in the same mini-
world as you.
Most virtual worlds are essentially in their infancy. They may hold
promise for promoting social interaction and creating learning oppor-
tunities, but like most “promising approaches,” the eventual useful-
ness of these sites will depend on the direction each site’s creators
and users take the virtual world. Toy-based sites, for example may be
encouraged add more educational features. Virtual worlds aimed at
older adolescents and adults may continue to focus mainly on social
interaction, or perhaps they will develop sophisticated missions and
benefits that have yet to be conceived.
Online Games
The phrase “online games” covers a lot of ground. Technically, any
game accessed using the Internet is an online game, so even a game of
chess played via e-mail, with each player sending a message with his or
40
her next move and waiting for the opponent’s response, is an online
game. But some types of online games are much more popular and
common than others.
While most of the games thus far must be purchased before being
used, there are a number of basic puzzle, action or pattern matching
games that are available free to play within a web browser or to down-
load and play on your computer. These games typically involve repeti-
tive skills such as jumping obstacles, avoiding destruction or navigating
a path to collect tokens. Many are written by amateur programmers, as
hobbies by full time programmers or as game based advertisements
for products services or Web sites.
Because of their ease of download and ease of play, children, even
young children are drawn to them. The downside is that on occasion,
these games can bring with them unwanted software, viruses, spyware
or other malicious code which are, unbeknownst to the user, installed
on the computer along with the game. These hidden programs can
erase information, damage a computer or expose the computer to
further attacks from the Internet. For more information on protecting
your computer, see Chapter 10 In addition to these simple games that
can accessed or downloaded from the Web (via sites such as Pogo,
Yahoo! Games, or Bonus), and the console-based games that use the
Internet to allow someone to play their game against or with other
people, there are games played via the virtual worlds that exist solely
on the Internet.
Th e Virtual Game World (MMORPG)
This last type of game is often referred to as a “virtual game world” or
Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG). These
online-only games take place within a virtual world and allow each
participant to explore the world as a specific character, or avatar, of
the user’s creation. The game may be used by thousands, if not tens
of thousands, of users at any given time – hence the phrase “massively
multiplayer.” Many online games are fee-based, including the
MMORPGs and Internet sites for console-based systems.
41
Helping Your Child Play Safely
Playing on the Internet, or with technology-based games in general,
can be a great experience for children. But, as with games played
anywhere, parents can play an active role in ensuring that their chil-
dren have a positive experience.
Game Ratings
It is often very difficult for parents to evaluate whether a particu-
lar game is appropriate for their child. Titles are often ambiguous,
pictures on boxes or on Web sites may not be representative of what
a child will see when playing a game, etc. Fortunately, parents have
several helpful resources. First, the Entertainment Software Rating
Board (ESRB) established a rating system for games. The rating system
contains two parts: six age-based rating categories and 30 content
descriptors. Although the rating system is voluntary, most retail stores
require that games be rated, so the majority of store-bought video
games will carry an ESRB rating. Second, parents can visit several Web
sites that provide overviews and recommendations for games, includ-
ing online games and virtual worlds.
Information Collection and Sharing
Many online games require children to register before they can play
a particular game or visit a specific virtual world. In addition, fee-
based games usually require credit card information. As a general rule,
children should never provide personal information on the Internet
without the guidance of a parent or other responsible adult. Chapter
13 contains additional information about protecting your family’s
privacy.
42
Interacting with Others
As noted in the descriptions of the types of online games, the fact that
the Internet allows people to play games with other people – some
of whom may be on the other side of the planet – is a tremendous
strength. At the same time, these social interactions often, and rightfully,
can give parents pause. Before a child uses a site, especially a virtual
world where social interaction is common, parents should determine
how well interactions are monitored, who can gain access to the chat
features on the site, and if the chat feature can be disabled. Chapter 13
contains additional information about safely interacting with others.
Conversation Starters
> What do you like most about playing games on the Internet?
> Which online games do you like to play? What makes those particular games
enjoyable?
> Do you feel like you are learning anything from these games? Like what?
> Could you show me how to play so that we could play together?
> How much time do you think you spend playing online games during the week?
How about on weekends? How are you balancing your time online with the time
you spend with friends in person or doing things outside?
> Are you as social with people you meet in person as you are with those you play
games with on the Internet?
> What would you change about Internet games if you were the person creating
them?
Web Resources
> Nintendo DS Support Pages
> Sony PlayStation Portable Support Pages
> Taking Your PlayStation Portable Online
> The Nintendo DS
> Microsoft's Xbox Live
43
CHAPTER 10
Buying Online
The Power of Many Key Points
The Internet has often been called “The World’s Biggest Shopping
Mall.” Where else could you go to find almost any product, from ✓ Shopping online has become
one of the most popular
almost any store or manufacturer, made in almost any country in the
uses of the Internet.
world? This huge scale provides amazing opportunities for consumers
and businesses, and recent data suggest that nearly a billion people ✓ An online store can be the
internet presence of a traditional
have shopped online. The advantages are numerous: Consumers can retailer or a company that does
comparison shop regardless of where they live, people can provide business completely online.
product reviews that are easy to find and read, and competition ✓ Whether buying in a store
among businesses can produce better deals for buyers. Sellers also or on the Internet, be a
benefit: Geographic presence becomes less important, while new conscientious shopper.
business can be driven to local stores. At the same time, overhead
costs can be lower for virtual stores than for “bricks-and-mortar”
stores, and the number of potential shoppers can be exponentially
higher than for traditional businesses. Not surprisingly, a wide range of
companies have flocked to create and maintain an Internet presence.
Ways to Shop Online
There are three basic types of shopping experiences over the web.
In the first, specific businesses maintain a Web site solely to sell their
own wares. For example, Smith’s Book Store would create a Web
site that only allows people to purchase their products. However,
there are also virtual malls, in which a shopper can visit a number
of sellers. These virtual malls are often constructed for promotional
purposes. For example, a major airline’s frequent flyer program may
create a virtual mall so that customers can earn airline miles by making
purchases from a collection of participating online vendors. The third
type of shopping experience involves online trading communities –
the Internet equivalent of classified ads or flea markets. These commu-
nities provide opportunities for people to buy, sell, auction, barter,
ask questions about items, provide feedback about their experiences,
and do just about anything else that would have occurred in an old-
style market. 44
42
Online Shopping
The convenience of online shopping allows you to buy anything from
Online Shopping
shoes to toys to groceries 24 hours a day. Not only does online shopping
e convenience of online shopping allows you to buy anything from shoes to toys to groceries 24
afford you a certain amount of convenience, but with new sites popping
hours a day. Not only does online shopping a ord you a certain amount of convenience, but with new
sites popping up daily, along with major retailers giving you their warehouse
up daily, along with major retailers giving you access toaccess to their warehouse merchandise,
the selection is far selection is far neighborhood store. Here’s how it store.
merchandise, thegreater than yourgreater than your neighborhoodworks:
1
BROWSE AND SELECT SPECIFY: 2 ACCOUNT SET UP AND PAYMENT
Many e-commerce sites display a SIZE When you’re ready to checkout, you’ll be escorted to a
sort of catalog you can browse or COLOR secure transaction page. While the checkout process
search for speci c items. As you QUANTITY varies, most merchants need similar information. You’re
nd items you want, you add them likely to have to set up an online account with that
to your electronic shopping cart. merchant for this and future purchases.
SECURE ENVIRONMENT
ST
OR
E
WITHIN
MINUTES 4 PAYMENT /
CREDIT CARD
INFORMATION
CONFIRM SHIPPING OPTIONS
# 012347890 AND ADDRESS
5 WITHIN
DAYS
FULFILLMENT CONFIRMATION
Upon payment ACCOUNT SET UP
e store’s system processes the
approval, a notice is order, receives approval from
sent to the ful llment your bank or credit company 3 VERIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION
center and the order is and immediately issues a A er lling out all information the merchant requires
compiled, packaged and con rmation and receipt and verifying the information to be correct, you send
mailed according to the to you via email. the order. Your browser automatically encrypts
shipping method you selected (encoded so that unauthorized individuals cannot read
at the time of purchase. it) the entire order, including your personal information.
How to Pay for Goods Online
Items can be purchased online in several ways, including credit cards,
money transfers from your bank account, online payment services,
and money orders (which are mailed to the seller, who usually holds
onto your merchandise until the money order is received). The
most common payment options are the use of credit cards or online
payment services, through which buyers can often use either their
credit card or the bank account transfer option.
Online payment services have become popular in recent years as
people make more of their purchases using the Internet. A major
reason for this popularity is that many such services provide protec-
tions against fraud.
45
Staying Safe When Money is Changing Hands
Buying online carries many of the same risks as buying in a regular
store, with the added complexities of not being able to see the actual
merchandise in front of you, and not being able to see the seller. In
addition, paying for online purchases often requires people to submit
personal information to the seller, leading to concerns over privacy
and how the personal information will be used.
Reliability of Vendors
The first step in protecting your family while shopping online is to
determine the reliability and trustworthiness of a specific seller.
Although a seller’s Web site may look genuine, setting up an online
store is relatively easy. Before conducting any business with online
stores, make sure that the product or service is offered by a legitimate
retailer.
Many online retailers include customer satisfaction ratings
that describe previous experiences with the company, as do many
trading communities and auction sites. Some comparison shopping
services also post ratings for online sellers. However, even these
ratings could be fraudulent. Looking for the store phone number,
legitimate street address, or whether the Web site is secure are addi-
tional safety precautions (see below). When in doubt, visit the Web
site of the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbbonline.org/) for
information on the business.
Using Secure Sites
When entering personal information into a Web site, it is important
to make sure the site is secure. A secure Web site is one that protects
your data, such as credit card information, while it travels from your
computer to the sellers computer. Sites that are not secure put your
information at risk of being intercepted as it is being transmitted
to the seller. Look for indicators that verify the site is secure before
entering any personal information, especially financial information.
Some secure sites will indicate this status by having a URL that
begins with “https,” others will display a closed lock icon in the display.
46
Other sites include the logo for Verisign or other similar third party
groups that endorse seller’s security precautions. If a seller requires
you to create a user ID and password in order to make a purchase, that
information should be kept secure, and the password should be
changed frequently.
Some credit card companies offer services that provide one-use-only
credit card numbers that will be charged to your account yet protect
you from having your true card number stolen.
Converstion Starters
> Have you ever bought anything online?
> Why did you buy these products online as opposed to a retail
store?
> Do you comparison shop on other web sites before making your
purchase?
> Are there any particular items you wouldn’t purchase online?
Why not?
> Do you know what a privacy policy is? Have you ever read the
privacy and return policies for online merchandise?
> What kinds of things do you look for to ensure that the online
retailer is a legitimate business?
> Have you ever been charged an incorrect amount or received
incorrect merchandise through an online purchase? If so, what
did you do?
> Do you always print out or save the receipt?
Web Resources
> http://shopper.cnet.com/
> http://www.howtodothings.com/finance-real-estate/how-to-save-
money-online
> http://www.wikihow.com/Shop-Online-Without-a-Credit-Card
> http://privacy.getnetwise.org/shopping/tips/
> http://www.safeshopping.org
47
CHAPTER 11
Keeping Your Computer Safe
An Ounce of Prevention … Key Points
People are often surprised when they learn that they need to protect
their computer when they use the Internet. But think of using the ✓ Once your computer is con-
nected to the internet, it is at
Internet the way you think of walking around the real world, for exam-
risk from infection and attack
ple when you go shopping. You open a door, you touch a product, from unlawful individuals.
you exchange money with a cashier, you shake hands with a friend you
✓ All computers require preventa-
see. At any point during the visit to the store, you may pick up germs tive measures to reduce the risk
along the way. Most people take precautions against these unwanted, and limit the potential damage
“shareable” guests: Washing hands frequently, avoiding people who from these external threats.
are obviously sick, taking care of yourself, getting regular check-ups ✓ Anti-virus software recognizes
with your doctor. programs that can be potentially
harmful to a computer and helps
quarantine or destroy them.
The convenience of online shopping allows you to buy anything from
✓ Many new computers come
shoes to toys to groceries 24 hours a day. Not only does online shop- with firewall and anti-virus
ping afford you a certain amount of convenience, but with new sites protection but these services
popping up daily, along with major retailers giving you access to their must be activated and/or
updated to function properly.
warehouse merchandise, the selection is far greater than your neigh-
borhood store.
Using the Internet is no different. Whenever your computer is
connected to the Internet, it is the same as if you were leaving your
house and similar precautions should apply. Similarly when you
receive an email, download or open a file or share in some other way
online, unwanted guests may hitch a ride on the files and find their
way into your computer. These nuisances, which can delete important
data, drastically slow a computer’s performance, and even allow some-
one to monitor your activities and control your computer remotely,
can be protected against with straightforward precautions and regular
maintenance (the equivalent of looking both ways before you cross
the street, being wary of strangers, washing hands, getting check-ups,
and other ways people stay safe and healthy). Some of these protec-
tion methods are described .
48
46
Security Basics
WORMS TROJAN HORSE
Worms are programs which are Trojan horses are programs
able to replicate themselves over which pretend to do one
a computer network and perform thing, but in reality snoops
malicious actions. It can a ect out and can damage your
other programs on the computer. personal information.
VIRUS
SPYWARE Viruses are programs
Spyware collects personal which are able to log into
information about you, the personal les on a
like your passwords or computer it has a ected
other information you and as a result, can end
type into your computer. up removing all of them.
ISP INTERNET
SERVICE
PROVIDER
PASSWORDS
ANTIVIRUS
SOFTWARE FIREWALL
OU
OR
Y
K
R HO
M E N ET W
SECURITY SOFTWARE FIREWALL
Antivirus so ware prevents and A rewall is your rst
removes computer viruses. is type MODEM line of defense. It is a
of so ware scans your computer for program or hardware
viruses. Antivirus so ware requires device that lters the
WIRELESS
regular updating to remain e ective (WiFi) information coming
against new viruses. ROUTER through the Internet
connection into your
PASSWORDS private network or
DOs and DON’Ts computer system. If an
DO incoming packet of
Use punctuation or digits information is agged
by the lters, it is not
Change the password regularly
allowed through.
Use a minimum of eight characters HOME
Use mixed case passwords if possible
COMPUTER GOOD BEHAVIOR
e best line of defense
Use di erent passwords for each machine
is user behavior, such as
DO NOT
not opening e-mail
Use a word that can be found in any dictionary a achments, avoiding
giving passwords from
Use your account name as its password links sent via e-mail or
Use things that can be easily determined like names downloading programs
(yours, friends' or relatives’), phone numbers or dates from unknown sources.
Security
When a computer connects to a network and begins communicat-
ing with others, it is taking a risk. Basic Internet security involves the
protection of a computer’s internet account and files from intrusion of
an outside user. The graphic on the facing page shows an overview of
the threats to and components of a secure home network.
49
Protecting Your Turf
People tend to think of their home computer as their personal
property. Of course, it is their personal property – but once it is
connected to the Internet, it becomes part of the larger public
community. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to keep computers
and users safe within this public space.
Hackers and Firewalls
A hacker is basically an Internet trespasser. Hackers try to access your
computer without permission through the Internet. Once they gain
access to your computer or network, they can steal information, place
damaging software on the computer, or even control the computer
remotely and use it to infect others. A hacker can break into comput-
ers through certain security weaknesses in your computer or home
network. Simple preventative measures such as being careful about
the information that is saved to your computer and using various
protective software and hardware devices, such as routers and fire-
walls, can deter hackers.
A router is a piece of computer hardware that sits between your
computer and your Interwnet connection. Particularly if you have
more than one computer, or if you want to create a wireless network
in your house, a router is a useful tool. By sitting between your
computer and the Internet, the router only allows certain types of
messages into and out of your computer. By limiting the kinds of
messages, the router can help lower the number of ways a hacker can
access your machine.
In addition to a router, a firewall is software that acts as a shield to
prevent unwanted users or software from gaining access to your
computer. By only allowing certain users or software through this
shield, you can limit the sources of potential danger to your computer.
Although both of these tools can lower your risk, it is still important to
remember that dangerous files or malware can come through attached
to an e-mail or as part of a download, two activities (receiving mail,
50
downloading files) that almost all users do on a regular basis. Firewalls
come in the form of software programs that run on your computer or on
separate devices such as routers that are connected between your inter-
net connection and your computer.
Many computer operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows XP and
Apple OS X, have built-in firewall protection. However, users need to
be sure to activate the firewall in order for it to be effective. Although
computers may come with firewall protection, the software may only be
a trial version that needs to be renewed, for a fee, after the trial period
ends.
Anti-virus Software
As the name implies, a computer “virus” is a program that infects a
computer and can cause a range of problems. The term virus generally
refers to a range of harmful programs, such as computer worms, Trojan
horses, and other forms of malicious software, or “malware.” Viruses can
cause substantial damage to computers and computer networks, rang-
ing from minor annoyances such as slow performance to major problems
such as deleted data and destroyed storage such as hard drives. Viruses
infect computers by hitching rides on downloaded material, which makes
them especially troublesome when sharing information on the Internet.
Anti-virus software recognizes viruses and can help quarantine or destroy
them. Because new viruses and other forms of malware are constantly
being identified, anti-virus software needs to be updated frequently.
Most anti-virus software can be set to update itself on a regular basis,
helping to safeguard computers against new viruses
and malware. Of course, the software needs to be activated to be effec-
tive. Both commercial and non-profit versions of anti-virus software are
available, and most new computers come loaded with anti-virus software.
However, as with firewalls, the software may only be a trial version that
needs to be renewed, for a fee, after the trial period ends.
Having multiple anti-virus programs is not necessary. In fact, having
more than one such program on a computer can interfere with how each
51
program works. A better strategy is to install one program and keep its
virus definitions up-to-date.
Anti-spyware Software
Another type of unwanted guest is spyware. These programs sneak
onto computers when other files are downloaded, and they allow
remote users to monitor your computer activity and control your
computer. To combat the presence of spyware, families should install
anti-spyware software on their computers and scan their computer
regularly to find and delete spyware. Like anti-virus software, anti-
spyware software is available from both commercial companies
for a fee and from non-profit organizations that offer anti-spyware
programs at very low or no cost.
Conversation Starters
> Do you know why it is not a good idea to respond to unsolicited e-mail or open
attachments from people we do not know?
> Could you show me what online accounts you have already established?
> How often do you change your passwords? Are you careful not to use easily
identifiable information such as your DOB, first name, social security number etc.
> Are you aware of the various firewalls and spy-ware protection installed on our
computer and whether or not it is all activated or up to date?
> Do you think we should purchase any additional anti-virus software? If so, what
do you recommend?
> Do you know that I can be held legally responsible if you download any unau-
thorized material such as games, applications or music?
> What do you do when you accidentally land on a web site that you think has
inappropriate information?
Web Resources
> http://www.howstuffworks.com/firewall.htm
> http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/
> http://www.familyguidebook.com/book/11.html#virus
> http://www.av-comparatives.org/
> http://www.checkvir.com/
52
CHAPTER 12
Being a Good Digital Citizen
How Should You Behave on the Internet? Key Points
Much like all societies have rules and guidelines for proper behavior,
the Internet has basic guidelines for how to behave online. These ✓ Internet users are expected to
follow a few basic guidelines
guidelines are not meant to be restrictive; to the contrary, these stan-
referred to as netiquette when
dards of behavior allow the millions of people using the Internet each conducting online activities.
day to share, communicate, recreate, and otherwise interact with each
✓ Give careful thought before
other with a minimum of friction. posting anything on the Internet
as posts may become part of
In this sense, how you behave on the Internet is no different from the permanent public record.
how you behave in your everyday life; you are responsible for your ✓ When using images, text and
actions. On the Internet, you are interacting with other people and multimedia found on the
Internet, it is important to
groups. Therefore, you should conduct yourself in a way that you
respect the ownership of the
think is appropriate by respecting yourself and others while online. intellectual property and to give
Netiquette refers to guidelines for interacting with others online. As credit to authors and creators
to avoid plagiarizing their work.
a general rule, your communication and participation online should
be respectful. Netiquette guidelines apply to email, instant messaging, ✓ Whenever downloading files,
parents should make sure copy-
chat rooms, cell phones, blogs, and wikis.
rights, licensing agreements and
terms of use are being honored.
A variety of resources provide general netiquette guidelines. If proper
netiquette guidelines are not followed, people may misinterpret your
messages and become offended. For example, typing in all caps is
considered “yelling” online. Before sending an email or posting infor-
mation on a Web site, think before you click “submit” or “send.” Read
over the message again to make sure it says what you intended and
cannot be misinterpreted, and never send a message when you are
upset about something. If you passed a handwritten note to a friend
when you were in school, the odds of it being forwarded to every
student and teacher in the school were very slim.
53
51
With e-mail and other Internet communication technologies, that
same note can be forwarded to hundreds of people in seconds, and
unlike that single note that could be retrieved and destroyed, email
and any other information posted to the Internet can be considered
to be around essentially forever. As such, proper online behavior is
critical to positively contributing to the Internet and being a good
digital citizen.
Cell Phone Etiquette
Cell phone etiquette guidelines include when to answer your phone
and when to turn off your ringer. For example, talking on your phone
in a movie theater or while riding public transportation is consid-
ered poor etiquette. Phones should never be used when the user’s
attention should be focused elsewhere. For example, several states
and cities have banned cell phone use while driving. Interestingly,
research suggests that cell-phone-using drivers are not only prone
to driving mistakes – they also have a difficult time talking! Likewise,
many schools have banned cell phones due to the distractions caused
by improper use. In addition to voice calls, cell phones can also be
used for text communication, and written netiquette guidelines also
apply to cell phone texting. There is never a good reason to text while
driving!
Blogs and Wiki Netiquette
Rules for engaging in online environments such as blogs and wikis also
exist. It is important to remember that information posted on blogs
and other Web sites immediately becomes public. This information is
not just public today or tomorrow; it could potentially exist online for
the rest of your life. Even if you take down words after one day, those
words can exist forever in a public forum. Make sure to give thought
to everything you post on the web. Whether it is your original post
or a comment made on someone else’s work, make sure it represents
the ideas you want to present. Therefore, following the netiquette
guidelines for written text will help ensure your message is not misun-
derstood. An unfortunate comment to a friend can eventually fade
away; the same unfortunate comment on a blog may exist forever.
54
Minding Your Manners Online
“Netiquette” stands for “Internet Etiquette”, and refers to the set
of practices developed over the years to make the Internet experi-
ence pleasant for everyone. Like other forms of etiquette, netiquette
Minding Your Manners Online
is primarily concerned with matters of courtesy in online communi-
"Netique e" stands for "Internet Etique e", information.
cations. The following sections provide moreand refers to the set of practices developed over the years to
make the Internet experience pleasant for everyone. Like other forms of etique e, netique e is primarily
concerned with ma ers of courtesy in communications. e following sections provide more information.
THE BEST POLICY? THE GOLDEN RULE RESPECT COPYRIGHTS
Be honest. Pretending to be someone Treat others as you would like to be e Web contains information for just about any
else, or trying to cheat people online treated. is rule is an oldie but a topic. Much of the content is owned, licensed or
will not only hurt your reputation but goodie and can get you through just copyrighted by someone else. Copying and claiming
can land you in a lot of hot water. about any situation, online or o ! the works of someone else without permission can
ruin your online reputation and land you with nes
and lawsuits!
DON'T TYPE IN ALL CAPS
It's okay to type in caps to accentuate a KNOW WHERE YOU ARE
word or headline. Other than that, all What's acceptable in one area
caps makes it seem like you are yelling may be inappropriate in
and it’s harder on a reader’s eyes. another. Di erent Web sites and
communities can use slightly
di erent “languages”. When you
WHY HAVEN’T YOU CALLED N
enter a site that's new to you,
LATELY? I THINK MY PANTS ARE W
take a look around, read the
E
ON FIRE. IS IT LOUD IN HERE? archives and chats to get a sense
S
of its netique e expectations.
SPELL CHECK!
An occasional spelling MAKE IT DIGESTIBLE
error made in haste is To ensure your thoughts are
o en forgivable, but if easy to read and more likely to
it's distracting from be understood, break up
your message it’s just DIC LONG paragraphs of text into
downright unprofes- TION smaller blocks. Also, in e-mail,
ARY be aware of the le size of your
sional. Some browsers
have built in spell check a achments, sending a 10MB
and can be a life saver for photo of your big catch might
bad spellers! Excessive Web bog someone’s e-mail down.
jargon can be annoying too, so
tone down using “lol”.
NO FLAMING
Flaming is de ned as “the hostile and
insulting interaction between Internet
KEEP IT CLEAN users”. Keep a solid online reputation by
Words wri en on or sent over the Web nding a diplomatic way to share a di erent
don’t just disappear, they’ll live on long a er point of view. It’s good to recognize when
you’ve said them and you’ll have to live with someone’s intentionally driving the con ict
them. A good rule of thumb is not to write so you can leave the discussion.
anything you wouldn’t put on a postcard.
DON’T JUST “KICK”
FOOTNOTE EVERYTHING FORWARD
ere is so much information online, it can Be careful when you reply to messages
be very di cult to distinguish truth from or postings sent to large groups.
ction. Before posting, forwarding e-mail, or Sometimes replies are sent back to the
acting on internet-based information, make sure entire group! Don’t forward e-mail or copy
it comes from a source you can trust. Citing sources can boost your without knowing it’s truly OK to do so. And remember, there's a
credibility and keep all the hoaxes oating around online in check. ne line between spam and self-promotion, do it very carefully!
55
Cyber-bullying
As discussed in earlier chapters, the Internet is not immune from the
problems of the real world. Unfortunately, bullying is not uncommon
on the Internet. Cyber-bullying can include sending hate messages,
posting hurtful pictures, videos, or information about someone, or
using someone’s username to spread lies about another person.
Cyber-bullying only refers to incidents involving minors. Once an
adult becomes involved, this behavior can be termed cyber-harass-
ment or cyber-stalking. Cyber-bullying can be illegal depending on
the level of severity. To recognize whether this is happening to a child,
parents should talk with their children. Fortunately, excellent resources
are available for families who want to learn more about preventing
and responding to cyber-bullying.
Legal and Ethical Guidelines
Of course, just because something can be shared or downloaded
from the Internet does not mean it should be shared – or should be
shared for free. Many of the files people would like to share on the
Internet are copyrighted, and sharing copies of these items without
the owner’s permission is illegal. Just as one wouldn’t walk into a store
and steal a CD or DVD, or copy an encyclopedia entry for a school
assignment, children and adults should not download music illegally or
plagiarize material they find on the Internet.
Recent legal cases establish that the person downloading the material
is responsible for checking on its terms of use and/or copyright;
in the case of minors, parents are responsible for their children’s online
activities. Whenever downloading files, parents should make sure that
copyrights, licensing agreements, and terms of use are
being honored. Everyone should be aware that there are potential
civil and criminal liabilities related to illegal downloading.
Fortunately, there are several sharing sites on the Internet that
make it easy to download files legally and cheaply. Most major televi-
sion shows are now available online at little or no cost, and several
sites allow music to be played over the web (internet radio) or
56
downloaded at low cost.
Another ethical issue with sharing is doing research for school proj-
ects on the Internet. Increasingly, teachers find that students occa-
sionally copy material from the web for use in their school papers,
but without the necessary acknowledgement that they are quoting
someone else’s work. This form of plagiarism is doubly troubling, as
it steals another person’s work while robbing learning opportunities
from the student.
Conversation Starters
> Have you or do you know of anyone who downloads music, movies, or images? Where
do you go to do this?
> Have you ever sent or received a message (email, IM, text) that you
misunderstood?
> Have you or do you know of someone who has ever been criticized, or made fun
of online (cyber-bullied)?
> Have you (or someone you know) ever copied information off the Internet for a
school project?
> Do people on cell phones ever bother you? When is it acceptable to text or
answer your cell phone?
Web Resources
> http://www.disney.co.uk/DisneyOnline/Safesurfing/cybernetiquette/
> http://www.albion.com/netiquette/netiquiz.html
> http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html
> http://www.bpl.org/kids/netiquette.htm
> http://www.livinginternet.com/i/ia_nq.htm
57
CHAPTER 13
Protecting Your Family
An Ounce of Prevention …, Part II Key Points
To keep children safe in the real world, parents take certain measures.
For example, when a child is learning to crawl, parents may “baby ✓ Do not give out personal
information on the Internet
proof” the house by picking things off the floor and covering sharp
unless you are certain whom
corners. As the child grows and learns to walk, parents may install you are dealing with.
safety locks on drawers and cabinets and move dangerous items out
✓ Always be cautious about
of reach. meeting new people or giving
personal information online.
As a child grows, precautions may need to change and adapt to ✓ Remain aware of your
meet the needs of the family. The digital world is no different; being child’s internet activity and
a safe digital citizen means taking some necessary safety precautions talk with them about it.
and routinely updating those precautions. Previous chapters in this
guide have highlighted important precautions that families can take
to protect their computers and themselves. This chapter describes a
few additional safeguards that families can take to ensure their online
experience is a positive one.
Protecting Your Privacy
Even if a family’s computer is protected from hackers, viruses, and related
problems discussed in Chapter 11, each family should take steps to safe-
guard its privacy. Potential problems are caused by spyware, cookies, and
browser histories, although cookies and histories can also be very helpful.
Personal Information
Oddly, people often share private information on the Internet that they
would never consider sharing in the real world. For example, if a stranger
approached you and asked for your name, social security number, and
credit card information in order to verify your bank account access,
you would quickly walk away and perhaps call the police. Yet similar
requests received via e-mail often dupe people into giving up highly
personal information. This type of scam is called phishing. In general, no
organization will request such private information via e-mail, and if they
do, a quick phone call to the institution to verify the request is highly
recommended. 58
56
Trusted sources such as the phone book or business Web sites can be
helpful resources in confirming a business’s legitimacy. According to
the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, all Web sites need to post
a privacy statement when collecting information from children under
the age of 13. Being a smart digital citizen means thinking about the
information shared with others. For example, when creating an online
profile on a social networking site, remember that many others can
view this information. Therefore, when posting nicknames, hobbies, or
photos, employers or family may be able to view this information. As a
smart digital citizen, always be thinking about the information you are
sharing and how this may affect you. If you would not want this infor-
mation posted on a big billboard on your town’s busiest street, then it
should not be posted on a public Web site.
Meeting People Online
To be a smart digital citizen, users should be cautious about meeting
new people online, especially if this translates into meeting the new
people face-to-face. Again, users should think about the personal
information they are sharing with new contacts. A stranger is a
stranger, regardless of whether the person is physically present two
feet in front of you or approaching you over e-mail. Parents should
talk with their children about the people he or she is meeting online
and make it clear that their child should never arrange an in-person
meeting without a parent present.
Anti-spyware
Chapter 10 contains a description of spyware, programs that hide on
your computer and track your Internet usage. In a worst case scenario,
spyware can be used to steal personal information such as passwords
or financial information. However, anti-spyware programs are widely
available and can be effective at locating and removing spyware when
regularly used and updated.
Browser Cookies
A browser cookie is software that Web sites place on computers to
transfer certain information to the Web site. Although cookies track
your activity, Cookies can be very helpful for users. For example,
59
after registering on a Web site, the next time you access the Web site,
the cookie can remember your ID and password, take note of how
frequently you use the site, and direct you to specific parts of the
site that you may find most interesting. However, cookies do contain
personal information and should be periodically cleaned out to
ensure that only desired cookies are present on your computer.
Browser History
Web browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Safari, or Firefox, keep a list
of the pages you visit while on the Internet. This record is referred to
as the browser history. As users browse the Internet, they occasion-
ally find useful sites that they forget to record. By visiting the browser
history, a user can quickly locate the site and revisit it or record its
location for future reference. At the same time, anyone who uses the
computer can examine the browser history to see which sites have
been visited, so people who use shared computers should keep this
in mind. Every web browser allows the user to clear the browser
history at any time.
Controlling Internet Access
Parents can have a great deal of control over their children’s use of
the Internet. One popular option is to use Internet filtering software.
Filters prevent children from accessing inappropriate Web pages that
include information that may be harmful to minors, such as nudity,
sexual content, or potentially dangerous information. Depending on
the filter, the level of inappropriateness or certain key words can be
included in the filter. When a user tries to access a Web page with
restricted content, they receive notification that the page has been
blocked by the filter.
Public libraries and schools are required to control children’s access
to the Internet. A school or library must have some type of filter
for the Internet. In addition, the school or library must also have an
Internet safety policy. The Internet safety policy outlines the terms
and conditions for using computers. Schools often have students
sign an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). The AUP is a written agreement
60
between students, parents, and teachers that discusses the terms and
Web
conditions for using school computers. Make sure you have read and
Resources
have a copy of your school’s Internet Acceptable Use Policy.
Parents often overlook the importance of computer location. For > http://www.cyberangels.org/
parents/idtheft-child.html
example, if a child has a desktop or laptop computer in her or his
room, it is more difficult for parents to monitor how their child uses > http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/
edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/
the Internet. Restricting use of family computers to comfortable, read- alt127.shtm
ily accessible locations in the home facilitates safe Internet use.
> http://privacy.getnetwise.
org/
Communication, Communication, Communication
The most important safety tool for parents is communication. Parents > http://www.truste.org/
parent_teacher_tutorial.php
routinely talk to their children about “stranger danger,” safety rules
when out of the house, and other precautionary measures for being
safe in the real world. Similar conversations should take place about
online safety. Parents should ask children about their technology use,
should monitor their children’s online behavior, and should consider
the creation of acceptable use policy for the family computer. But
regardless of the actions taken, communication is the key to the safe,
enjoyable use of computers and the Internet.
Conversation Starters
> Have you ever encountered a virus through an e-mail or a file you downloaded?
> How can you avoid contracting spyware on your computer?
> How can we make our family computer safer?
> Have you ever opened something that did something bad to your computer?
> How do we update the anti-virus software/anti-spyware on our family computer?
> Have you ever tried to access a Web page that was blocked by a filter?
Why do you think that Web page was blocked?
> Should we install controls on the computer to monitor or limit what you are searching and
seeing? What are some other ways we could address this issue?
> What do you do when you receive messages from people you don’t know?
61
GLOSSARY
CHAPTER
Acceptable use policy (AUP) – a school’s written agreement between students, parents and teachers that
discuss the terms and conditions for using school computers
– Chapter 13
Address bar – the white box that appears just below the title bar in a web browser for entering a new web
address – Chapter 2
Anti-spyware software – computer software that protects you from remote users monitoring or controlling
your computer activity – Chapters 11 & 13
Anti-virus software – computer software that protects you from receiving viruses or malicious programs
that can damage your computer – Chapter 11
Attachment – word-processing documents, spreadsheets, photographs, audio clips, or video clips that are
included in an e-mail message – Chapter 3
Avatar - a visual representation of a person or character in a virtual world – Chapters 7 and 9
Cell or mobile phone - a wireless portable telephone that sends and receives data using radio frequencies
– Chapter 8
Cell phone providers – businesses that sell cell phone services such as the right to use their cell phone
network (this normally involves a certain commitment from the user who
has to pay a monthly fee based on usage or plan)
Cell phone tower - relays or sends data by either communicating directly to the users of cell phone or by
communicating with the public switched telephone network
Chat room – a special area on the Internet where people with similar interests can go to have real-time, text
based discussions – Chapter 3
“Child friendly” search engines – a type of search engine that is designed specifically for children to use
instead of using adult sites that may render inappropriate results
– Chapter 4
Computer virus – malicious software that can be included in unsolicited e-mail or downloadable programs
and may damage a computer – Chapters 3 & 11
Cookie – a file created by a web site that keeps track of different types of information – Chapters 2 & 13
62
1
Cyber bullying – sending hate messages, posting hurtful pictures, videos or information about someone or
using someone else’s username to spread lies about another person (only
pertains to minors) – Chapter 12
Discussion forum - a place where individuals who share common interests and goals can come together in
an online community to share their ideas and perspectives – Chapter 6
Download - to copy files from a different location, i.e., over the Internet or network, onto your computer
– Chapters 2 & 8
E-mail (electronic mail) – The exchange of electronic messages and computer files between computers that
are connected to the Internet or (some other computer network)
– Chapter 3
E-mail address – a specific Internet address that identifies a particular person or group when sending an
electronic message – Chapter 3
Favorites (or bookmarks) – a web browser tool that allows you to save the location of a web site that you
may want to visit again in the future – Chapter 4
Firewall – computer software that acts as a shield to prevent unwanted user or software from gaining access
to your computer – Chapter 11
Friend - a person who has access to your profile in a social network (both parties have to agree before
becoming ‘friends’ and personal profiles are linked) – Chapter 7
Graphic display - the small area on a cell phone that can display pictures, graphics, and text
Group profile - the home page or identity of a group of users in a social network. A group profile repre-
sents an interest group, such as the alumni of a university, and is generally
created by an individual, also called administrator, of that group
Hacker- an Internet trespasser who may try to steal information, place damaging software on your
computer or attempt to control your computer remotely – Chapter 11
Hotspots - relate to a wireless Internet connection for mobile users that can be accessed from a given loca-
tion, i.e. airports, hotels, and coffee shops
Home page - main Web page (or parent) and opening of any web site (generally includes a greeting to visi-
tors of the site and provides information about the owner and purpose)
– Chapters 2 & 7
63
Hyperlink – the term used for linking one web resource to another (usually identified by blue or under-
lined text) – Chapter 2
Internet safety policy – a school or library’s official terms and conditions for using their computers
– Chapter 13
Instant messaging (IM) – conducting a real-time, text-based conversation with a friend or co-worker
– Chapter 3
Listserv - an electronic mailing list for distributing information to subscribing members or holding discus-
sions among the members – Chapter 3
Login - provides access to information that is not accessible without registration (note: this is similar to a
“PIN” number for a bank account). Logins often ask for a login name and
password
Keywords – a specific word or phrase you type in to find information from a search engine – Chapter 4
Meta search engines – tools that allow a user to search for information using a variety of search engines at
the same time – Chapter 4
Mobile Web (also “Wireless Web” or “Wireless Internet”) - refers to the parts of the Internet that can be
displayed on a cell phone; note that many mobile devices allow only
portions of the Web to be accessible
Netiquette (or net etiquette) – guidelines for interacting with others on the Internet – Chapter 12
Online buying – paying for services with a credit card or bank account transfer over the Internet
– Chapter 10
Online games – any game accessed through an Internet connection – Chapter 9
Online trading communities – the Internet equivalent of classified ads or flea markets – Chapter 10
Open educational resources - Web resources, books, documents, etc, that are freely shared to other
Internet users
Open source software - computer programming code that is available over the Internet for free, and is
highly accessible
Phishing – a computer scam (usually through unsolicited e-mail) that tricks you into giving up highly
personal information – Chapter 13
Plug-in– special software that you can buy or download for free to improve your web browser capabilities
– Chapter 2 64
Podcasts - audio and/or audio-video broadcasts that can be downloaded from the Internet to a personal
computer or personal media player – Chapter 5
Profile - the personal home page or identity of a user in a social network and the management functions
that are only accessible by the owner, such as account information –
Chapter 7
Radio waves – these are the longest wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum that do more than simply
bring music to your radio. They also carry signals for your television and
cellular phones
Ringtones - sounds that your cell phone makes when receiving a call or a text message
Search engine – a web site designed to find information stored on other web sites – Chapter 4
Shared online videos – videos that are created, watched, commented on, and shared by amateurs and
professionals to entertain, inform, and educate on a variety of different
topics – Chapter 5
Site Map – a complete menu of what information is contained in a specific web site - Chapter 2
Social networking service - a Web-based service that creates a community for users to interact and share
backgrounds, hobbies, interests, and other information – Chapter 7
SPAM – Unsolicited e-mail, or junk mail – Chapter 3
Text messages or texting - sending short text messages between cell phones or other portable devices.
Messages are sent through SMS (short message service) and are limited
to a certain number of characters. Users can also send text messages from
a computer to a portable device – Chapter 8
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) – the official “unique” address for a Web page (usually begins with http://)
– Chapter 2
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) – Talking over the Internet by using a microphone or Web camera
– Chapter 3
Virtual worlds – a self-contained online world that consists of games, art activities, and fantasy play that
often involves interaction with others visiting the site (examples include
Webkinz, Ganzworld, BuildABear, Whyville and Club Penguin) – Chapter
9
65
Weblogs (blogs for short) - online journals written for a specific audience incorporating a variety of media
(text, pictures, video, hyperlinks, etc.) – Chapter 5
Web 2.0 - Internet tools that allow amateur Internet users as well as more experienced ones to easily
create, share, and view information on the Web. (the “read-write” Web)
Web browser – software that is normally built-in to a computer in order to be able to view Web pages
(examples include Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox , Safari and Opera) –
Chapter 2
Web browser history – a tool that allows your web browser to track all the pages you previously visited on
the Internet – Chapter 13
Web camera – A special computer accessory that can be used to capture and stream video for web video
conferencing – Chapter 3
Web-based application tools - a variety of products that allow members to create, edit, and comment on
one document usually with more format options and features than a wiki
– Chapter 6
Web page – an information resource that is available on the Internet – Chapter 2
Web site – a collection of related Web pages about a particular topic generally written by a specific author
or group – Chapter 2
Web video conferencing – Conducting live meetings or presentations over the Internet by using Voice over
Internet Protocol (VOIP) and a web camera – Chapter 3
Wikis - collaborative documents stored online that allow individuals to quickly add information and media
to them – Chapters 5 & 6
Wireless - data transmitted between a sender and a receiver without a physical connection, i.e. cable.
Similar to a radio, information is transmitted using electromagnetic or
radio waves – Chapter 8
World Wide Web (Web) - a collection of linked documents that are accessed through the Internet
– Chapter 2
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U.S. Department of Education
