Guest Author - Sonja Meyer

As kids head back to school, they are also going to spend more time at the computer, doing homework, e-mailing friends they may have met at summer camp, and researching topics for school projects.

In light of that, it's a good time for families to learn more about Internet safety and citizenship. To do so, you can start with the Bella Work & Family Site Of The Month for August: www.PlayItCyberSafe.com.

First, let me tell you that this site is owned by the Business Software Alliance, an international organization of top software makers, like Microsoft and Adobe, dedicated to promoting a "safe and legal digital world" since 1988. Before you get skeptical about the site's commercial interests, though, you should also know that the alliance has partnered with George Washington University to carry out a U.S. Dept. of Justice program to educate the public on cyber-crime and intellectual property theft.

What does this all mean? Yes, the site touches on issues of software theft and piracy, as you might expect, since its owners do not want you stealing their computer programs. However, it also goes much further and offers a lot of good information and links to resources for things like cyber-stalking and online privacy, among other issues that are important to you and your family. And, after all, as your kids get older, they should learn about how hacking and illegally copying software is a crime, too.

Teach Kids To Use 'Net Safely, Legally
PlayItCybersafe.com talks about both angles… keeping your kids safe online, and teaching them not to misuse computers or commit Internet crimes themselves.

"While the Internet can be a unique educational and recreational resource for children, it is important that they are educated about how to safely and responsibly use this powerful tool," the site says. "Parents and teachers should be aware of cyberstalking and the threats that online predators pose to children's physical safety; harmful or inappropriate content (most often characterized as pornographic, excessively violent or simply 'adult'); privacy invasions that result from the collection of personally identifiable information about individual children; and commercialism and aggressive marketing targeted directly at children.

"Another issue related to the presence of children on the Internet is the potential misuse of this tool," the site continues. "Whether the consequences are intentional or unintentional, the Internet can open a dangerous window of accessibility for children who are unaware of the consequences of irresponsible use."

The site is divided into entry points for kids, parents and teachers, although the latter two bring you to the same content.

The kids' section offers games (Piracy Deep Freeze, Internet Images Memory and CyberSafe Slide Puzzle) and tools (a list of links to sites with solid, family-friendly information about the Internet, such as McGruff's List Of Web Links, hosted by the National Crime Prevention Council, and the U.S. Department of Justice's kids' page, with information for kids about Internet surfing, online behavior and crime).

The parents' and teachers' areas lead to a short overview of six types of cybercrime: financial, piracy, hacking, cyber-terrorism, online pornography and school-related crime such as plagiarism and cyberstalking. These areas offer several excellent lists of links for further information on each topic.

Furthermore, the site offers a free download of Business Software Alliance's Play It Safe In Cyberspace curriculum, a teacher's guide, a classroom poster and a survey. Co-produced by Weekly Reader, the curriculum aims to teach elementary and middle-school students about being safe online, protecting their privacy, etc.

So, as you get your kids back into the swing of school days, why not sit down and talk about how they can stay safe online and legally use the Internet as the great school research tool that it is? Start with PlayItCybersafe.com