Bookmark sites you like.
Over half the students who end up on an adult site by accident get there by misspelling a Web address. When you bookmark your favourite sites, it's easier and faster to get where you want and it lessens your chances of ending up some place you’d rather not be.
Use kid-friendly search tools and proper searching techniques.
When you're searching for information and sites on the Web, use one of the many kid-friendly search engines, directories and portals. Or, if you're using a regular search engine, turn on the "family filter" or "safe search" options. This will keep most of the trash out of your search results.
Respect Web content.
On the Internet, there's little to prevent "lifting" someone else's software, art or written work. But it's important to remember that real-world laws against copyright infringement still apply on the Internet and many schools practice "zero tolerance" when it comes to online cheating. Remember, if you can find something online, your teacher can too. Avoid problems by asking your teacher how to properly document online sources.
Watch your Web site. If you create a personal Web page, be careful about the content. Sometimes what you think is funny may cross the line into bad taste - or even break the law. Take care to protect your personal info on your Web page. Avoid posting your name, photograph, address, phone number and e-mail address (or those of your friends). And don't forget to respect the copyright of pictures and images on your Web page - be sure to ask permission before you post.
Check out the privacy policies on Web sites.
Before you submit any personal information to a Web site, read the privacy policy to see what's going to be done with what you submit. Make sure that the site doesn't give your personal information to third parties or put it where it can be viewed by others.
Put out the trash.
If you come across inappropriate content, don't panic. Just turn off the monitor and report it to a teacher. If an adult isn't nearby, turn off and then restart the computer.
So what's the big deal about explicit adult Web sites?
The Internet, like any medium, offers all sorts of materials for all sorts of people - including "explicit" or "pornographic" Web sites for adults. The problem is that you can occasionally end up on these sites - whether or not you want to. This can be a problem because:
- The material that's posted may make you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.
- Most pornographic Web sites don't reflect normal, healthy sexual relationships. They may include images that are violent, degrading or obscene.
- You can get into trouble with parents - or even be suspended from school - when you access explicit sites on the Web.
- The creators of some of these sites use all sorts of tricks to get "clicks" on their pages. (That way they can attract more sponsors to support them.) Because of this, you can easily end up on adult sites when you're looking for something else. Some adult sites will use names that sound like other popular Web sites; some will take advantage of common misspellings of Web addresses; and others will include links or ads on Web pages that they know teens - especially teenage boys - like to visit.
© 2005 Media Awareness Network.
