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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  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|                http://www.adobe.com**Printable PDF (COMING SOON)****Site SeeingOn The Internet****For More Information            Visit the Kidz Privacy Site**
The Savvy Traveler

Millions of people are traveling the     Internet (a.k.a.     Cyberspace).    And as going online gets easier and more affordable, even more will venture into     Cyberspace.

Because     Cyberspace is an image on a    computer screen, sometimes it is called a "virtual" world — not actually    real. But travel anywhere has real risks and rewards. No matter where you go — even    if you don't actually leave your home to get there — common sense and knowledge are    your best travel companions. 

The     Federal Trade Commission and your state    Attorney General offer this guide to help you prepare for your voyage and avoid fraud and    deception en route. We hope you'll share it with your family and especially with children,    so that they will be savvy travelers when they visit     Cyberspace,    too.

Getting the Most From Your    Travel
There is so much to do in         Cyberspace and so many "sites" to see that you        may wish you had a tour guide. Chances are your Internet service provider (ISP) offers a lot of information on its         web site — from news to shopping to games —        including         links to other         web        sites. If you know where you want to go, you can simply type in the         URL and go there. Or, you can use a search engine to look among         web sites to find what you're looking for.**Travel Tip:**A little planning goes a            long way on the             Internet. Try to identify the sites you            want to visit or determine the subject areas you're interesed in learning more about. It            will help you save time, and if you pay for your             online            service by the hour, it will keep your charges under control.
You might visit a famous museum, catch the latest news,    enter a           chat room to discuss a topic that interests    you, learn about parenting, search for a travel bargain, purchase a book or CD, start a    part-time business, or           e-mail a letter to your far-flung    family in a single step. 

Books, articles, friends, and people you work with can steer you to many    interesting     web sites. Once you're on the road, your own    curiosity and interests will lead you to even more sites.

Information — The    Currency of Cyberspace
**Travel Tip:**When you enter a             web site look for a             privacy            policy that answers your questions about accuracy, access, security, and control of            personal information, as well as how information will be used, and whether it will be            provided to third parties.When you enter         Cyberspace,        you've arrived in a global marketplace stocked with products and services. But the         Internet's major currency is information. You seek it from        others. Others seek it from you. Marketers, in particular, want to know as much about you        and your buying habits as you are willing to tell. Since some information may be quite        personal, you'll want to know how it is gathered, how it is used, and occasionally abused.        Just as you might carry cash in a secret pouch when you go abroad, you may want to protect        certain information when you go online. 
Information is gathered on the           Internet both directly and indirectly. When you enter a           chat room discussion, leave a message on a           bulletin board, register with a commercial    site, enter a contest, or order a product, you directly and knowingly send information    into Cyberspace. Often, a           web site may require information from you as the    "toll" you pay to enter. 

Data also can be gathered indirectly, without your knowledge. For example,    your travels around a     web site can be tracked by a file    called a "cookie" left on your computer's hard    drive on your first visit to that site. When you revisit the site, it will open the     cookie file and access the stored information so it will know    how to greet you. You may even be welcomed by name. If you linger over a product or a    subject that interests you, it will be noted. And soon, you may see ads on the site that    look as if they've been custom tailored for you. As     web    sites gather information directly and indirectly, they can collect a complete data    picture of you and your family. This kind of information is valuable to marketers because    it helps them target their sales efforts. 

Maintaining Privacy When    You Travel
It's difficult to be anonymous once you've ventured        into         Cyberspace. Expect to receive unsolicited        advertising         e-mail, even personalized ads that seem to        know you. This so-called         junk e-mail can be a        nuisance, even a scam. If it looks questionable, simply delete it. Check with your         ISP or         online service        for ways to limit unsolicited         e-mail.**Travel Tip:**Know who you're            "talking" to. Don't give out personal information to strangers.
As anywhere,           Cyberspace    has its share of "snoopers" and con men. Guard your           password. It's the key to your account. People who work for    your service provider should never request your           password.    If they do, refuse the request and report the incident to your service provider    immediately.

When shopping online, be very careful about revealing your Social Security or credit    card number and shipping address. Many     web sites    scramble or encrypt information like that to ensure the safety of your personal data. Look    at the     privacy policy for information about how    the     web sites you visit scramble or encrypt your    personal data. This technology is improving rapidly, but still is not foolproof.

Concerns about loss of privacy are not new. But the computer's ability to    gather and sort vast amounts of data — and the     Internet's    ability to distribute it globally — magnify those concerns. 

To a large extent, privacy is up to you when you enter a     web site. Look for a privacy statement. Sites that are most    sensitive to your privacy concerns not only have     privacy    policies, but also display them clearly and conspicuously, offer you a choice to share    your personal information or restrict its use, and explain how your information will be    used.

Travel Insurance For    Cyberspace

Experienced cybertravelers carry a little    "travel insurance" when they enter     Cyberspace.    Here are some tips from the experts:
- Don't give out your account       password        to anyone, even someone claiming to be from your       online        service. Your account can be hijacked, and you can find unexpected charges on your        bill.  
- People aren't always who they seem to be in       Cyberspace. Be careful about giving out your credit card        number. The same applies to your Social Security number, phone number and home address.       
- Be aware that when you enter a       chat room,        others can know you are there and can even       e-mail you once        you start       chatting. To remain anonymous, you may want to        use a nickname for your       screen name.       
- E-mail is relatively private — *but        not completely*. Don't put anything into an electronic message that you wouldn't want        to see posted on a neighborhood bulletin board.  
- Check your       online service for        ways to reduce unsolicited commercial       e-mail. Learn to        recognize       junk e-mail, and delete it. Don't even read        it first. Never       download an       e-mail        attachment from an unknown source. Opening a file could expose your system to a       virus. 
- You can be defrauded online. If an offer is too hard to believe, don't        believe it. 
- Credit rights and other consumer protection laws apply to       Internet transactions. If you have a problem, tell a       law enforcement agency.       
- Teach your children to check with you before giving out personal —        or family — information and to look for       privacy        policies when they enter a       web site that asks for        information about them. Many kids' sites now insist on a parent's approval before they        gather information from a child. Still, some openly admit they will use the information        any way they please. 

Traveling With Children

Taking the kids on a trip into     Cyberspace can be a rewarding experience for you as well    as your children. Before embarking on your trip, you should know that     web sites collect a significant amount of personal    information from children, such as the child's name, postal and     e-mail address, and favorite activities and products. This    information can be collected by asking children to register with the site, join a kids'    club, enter a contest or complete a questionnaire online.

The personal information collected is used to create customer lists. In    some cases, these are sold to list brokers, who, in turn, rent the lists to other    advertisers. (Often, this practice is not revealed. Look at a     web site'sprivacy    policy for an explanation of how the site handles your personal information.)    Sometimes this information is posted on the     web site in    "guest books," members' profiles,     chat rooms    or on home pages hosted by a     web site. Posting such    information may enable others to contact your child, possibly without your knowledge. It's    unlikely that you'd let personal information about your child be posted on a neighborhood    bulletin board; exercise the same caution with electronic     bulletin boards.

Children learn to use computers quickly, but because they lack life    experience, they can reveal information you might not wish to share. That's one reason    children should be supervised when they venture into     Cyberspace.    Here are some precautions you may want to take: 
- Explore the       Internet with your        children. It's the best way to see what they see online. There are plenty of kid-friendly        sites; help your kids find them, and explain why it's best to be careful not to give out        their real name and address in       chat rooms, to online        pen pals and on       bulletin boards. 
- Consider using       filters that allow you to        place certain sites and subjects off limits to your child. These "parent        controls" are available through your       online        service or through special software you can buy.       Filters        aren't foolproof, but they help. Some       ISPs offer       filters to control the amount of unsolicited       e-mail you receive. 
- Have rules for going online. When your child has earned the right, issue        a       Cyberspace Passport and post it as a reminder of the        achievement.  
- Teach your children the meaning of privacy and personal — or family        — information. Encourage them to post messages only with your permission and        supervision. 
- Show your child the difference between an advertisement and        entertainment. A young child may not realize that an animated or cartoon character may be        gathering market data or trying to sell something. 

Rules of the    "Virtual" Road

Children act more responsibly when they know the    rules. That's why you may find the idea of a parent-child contract helpful when it comes    to using the Web. Here are some rules of the "virtual" road, along with a sample    Cyberspace Passport for children who accept the rules. You and your children may want to    develop others.

Cyberspace        Passport
These rules are for my safety. I will        honor them when I go online.
- I can go online —            ________ (Time of day) for _________ (How long) 
- It's ___ OK  ___ not OK for me to go            online without a parent. 
- I understand which sites I can visit and            which ones are off limits. 
- I won't give out information about myself or            my family without permission from my parents. 
- My password is my secret. I won't give it to            anyone.  
- I will never agree to meet an online pal, or            send my picture, without permission from my parents.  
- I know an advertisement when I see one. I            also know that animated or cartoon characters aren't real and may be trying to sell me            something or to get information from me. 
- I will follow these same rules when I am at            home, in school, or at the library or a friend's. 

A publication from the           Federal Trade Commissionand the National Association of Attorneys General.

Cyberspeak    — Learning the Language

You don't have to be a computer expert to book a trip into     Cyberspace, but it certainly helps to know a few words of    cyber-speak. Before long, you'll sound like a native and get around like an experienced    traveler.

**BOOKMARK** — an online function that lets you    access your favorite web sites quickly. 

**BROWSER** — special software that allows you to    navigate several areas of the     Internet and view a web    site. 

**BULLETIN BOARD/NEWSGROUP** — places    to leave an electronic message or share news that anyone can read and respond to.    Marketers or others can get your e-mail address from bulletin boards and newsgroups.

**CHAT ROOM** — a place for people to converse    online by typing messages to each other. (Once you're in a chat room, others can contact    you by e-mail. Some online services monitor their chat rooms and encourage children to    report offensive chatter. Some allow parents to deny access to chat rooms altogether.)

**CHATTING** — a way for a group of people to    converse online in real-time by typing messages to each other.

**COOKIE**    — when you visit a site, a notation may be fed to a file " known as a    "cookie" in your computer for future reference. If you revisit the site, the    "cookie" file allows the web site to identify you as a "return" guest    — and offer you products tailored to your interests or tastes. You can set your    online preferences to limit or let you know about "cookies" that a web site    places on your computer.

**CYBERSPACE** — another name for the     Internet.

**DOWNLOAD**— the transfer of files or software from    a remote computer to your computer.

**E-MAIL** — computer-to-computer messages between one or more individuals via the     Internet.

**FILTER**    — software you can buy that lets you block access to web sites and content that you    may find unsuitable.

**INTERNET** — the universal network that allows    computers to talk to other computers in words, text, graphics, and sound, anywhere in the    world.

**ISP**    (Internet Service Provider) — a service that allows    you to connect to the     Internet. When you sign up (it    takes special software and a modem), you'll be asked to enter a screen name, a secret    password and your credit card number. Usually, online charges are billed to your credit    card. Most providers allow you to review your monthly expenses online instead of sending    you a separate itemized bill. If you note unexpected charges from your ISP, call for an    explanation. If you're not satisfied with the explanation, or think you may be the victim    of fraud, write a letter to your credit card company and your state Attorney General.

**JUNK E-MAIL** — unsolicited commercial e-mail;    also known as "spam." Usually junk e-mail doesn't contain the recipient's    address on the "To" line. Instead, the addressee is a made-up name, such as    "friend@public.com." Or the address on the "To" line is identical to    the one on the "From' line.

**KEYWORD** — a word you enter into a search engine to    begin the search for specific information or web sites.

**LINKS**— highlighted words on a web site that allow you to connect to other parts    of the same web site or to other web sites. 

**LISTSERV** — an online mailing list that allows    individuals or organizations to send e"mail to groups of people at one time. 

**MODEM**    — an internal or external device that connects your computer to a phone line and, if    you wish, to a company that can link you to the     Internet.

**ONLINE SERVICE** — an ISP with added    information, entertainment and shopping features.

**PASSWORD** — a personal code that you use to access    your account with your ISP. 

**PRIVACY POLICY** — a statement on a web site    describing what information about you is collected by the site, and how it is used.    Ideally, the policy is posted prominently and offers you options about the use of your    personal information. These options are called opt-in and opt-out. An opt-in choice means    the web site won't use your information unless you specifically say it's okay. An opt-out    choice means the web site can use the information unless you specifically direct it not    to.

**SCREEN NAME** — the name you call yourself when    you communicate online. You may want to abbreviate your name or make up a name. Your ISP    may allow you to use several screen names.

**SEARCH ENGINE** — a function that lets you    search for information and web sites. Using a search engine is like accessing the main    card file in a library, only easier. A few keywords can lead you almost anywhere on the     Internet. You can find search engines or a search function    on many web sites.

**URL**    (Uniform Resource Locator) — the address that lets you locate a particular site. For    example, http://www.ftc.gov is the URL for the Federal Trade Commission. All government    URLs end in .gov. Non-profit organizations and trade associations end in .org. For    example, http://www.naag.org is the URL for the National Association of Attorneys General.    Commercial companies now end in .com, although additional suffixes or domains may be used    as the number of businesses on the     Internet grows. Other    countries use different endings.

**VIRUS**    — a file maliciously planted in your computer that can damage files and disrupt your    system.

**WEB SITE** — An     Internet     destination where you can look at and retrieve data. All the web sites in     the world, linked together, make up the World Wide Web or the "Web."
*June 1998*            www.ftc.gov/donotcallwww.consumer.gov/idtheft            www.ftc.gov/spam |