Federal Trade Commission (FTC): OnGuard Online
http://onguardonline.gov/
The FTC's new consumer-oriented site, OnGuardOnline.gov, has launched a campaign to educate both parents and kids about the potential dangers of increasingly popular and controversial social networking sites. OnguardOnline unveiled two new sections, one offering safety tips for kids, and another providing adults with a parent's guide to social networking sites.
The Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU)
http://www.caru.org/
CARU, operated by the Council of Better Business Bureaus, reviews advertising and promotional material directed at children in all media. CARU's self-regulatory guidelines for children's advertising address issues, such as privacy, that are unique to the Internet and online sites directed at children age 12 and under.
Kidz Privacyhttp://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/kidzprivacy/
The 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) — which went into effect on April 21, 2000 in the United States — requires Web site operators to protect the privacy of children ages 13 and under while using the Internet. This means Web sites must post their privacy policies; ask for parental consent before collecting, using or disclosing personal information about a child; and maintain the confidentiality and security of the information they've collected from children. Web sites in violation of COPPA are investigated and charged by the Federal Trade Commission, which launched the Kidz Privacy site to educate parents about potential privacy violations online, and to make kids more aware of how to surf safely.
Cyberlawenforcement.orghttp://www.cyberlawenforcement.org/
An affiliate of WiredPatrol.org, CyberLawEnforcement.org is a network of law enforcement officers that specializes in cybercrime investigations. The organization's tipline handles reports of child pornography, cyberstalking and missing children, as well as cases of Internet fraud and cyberscams.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)http://www.esrb.org/
ESRB is a nonprofit entertainment software rating entity that was established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association, the trade association for the interactive entertainment software industry. In addition to rating 10,000 entertainment software products, the ESRB assists companies in creating and implementing consumer online privacy policies. The organization also established ESRB Privacy Online which requires Web publishers to develop and implement informative privacy policies and practices.
GetNetWisehttp://www.getnetwise.org/
GetNetWise is a coalition of Internet industry corporate partners, public interest organizations and individuals seeking to educate families about Internet safety, privacy and spam. The project is supported by such corporate partners as AT&T, Dell and Microsoft Corp. GetNetWise is a project of the Internet Education Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization that strives to promote democracy, communications and commerce on the Internet.
The Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA)http://www.icra.org/_en/
ICRA — launched in May 1999 with offices in the United Kingdom and the United States — is an independent non-profit organization that encourages the labeling of electronic content so as to protect children from potentially harmful material on the Internet. Web sites that participate in this voluntary self-rating system answer questions about the site's content, such as whether it features sexual material, profanity or violent imagery. These sites are then entitled to carry an ICRA icon, informing consumers — particularly parents — of a site's content.
Surf Swell Island (Disney)http://disney.go.com/surfswell/index.html
The Surf Swell Island site, a quiz-driven adventure game for children, is a project by the Walt Disney Co. A series of three games features Disney characters learning more about Internet safety in three separate areas: privacy, viruses, and Internet etiquette. A short quiz follows each of the three games, reinforcing for children what was learned. The site also contains a glossary, parents' guide and teachers' guide for further background information and tips on Internet safety.
WiredPatrol.orghttp://www.wiredpatrol.org/
WiredPatrol.org (formerly known as Cyberangels) is a volunteer-run organization that works with international and national law enforcement groups to perform a kind of cyber-neighborhood watch. More than 9,000 volunteers worldwide patrol the Internet looking for "stalkers," suspected child molesters, online crimes and criminal content such as child pornography, and report their findings to authorities. The organization also offers general information and tips on protecting privacy and safety and avoiding fraud on the Internet.
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