21st Century Information Fluency

Internet Child Safety

There are a number of important laws that govern children's access to the Internet. A general familiarity with the law is always a good idea. More important than general awareness is to know where to go for specific information. If your administrator or a parent wants the 'letter of the law', you can refer them to these websites.

FBI: Safety Tips for K-5 [Website]. :United States Government: n.d. [cited 26 January 2003]. Available from World Wide Web: <http://www.fbi.gov/kids/k5th/safety1.htm>.

FBI: Kids and Youth Educational Page in Safety Links [Website]. :United States Government: n.d. [cited 26 January 2003]. Available from World Wide Web: <http://www.fbi.gov/kids/6th12th/outsidelinks/links.htm>.

Safety Tips for Kids on the Internet is an FBI supported web site provides specific information on how to protect one's self on the Internet. Different information is provided by grade level, and there is a separate guide for parents and teachers. This material for parents and teachers is available in both English and Spanish.

Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers) About the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) [Website]. : Electronic Frontier Foundation: n.d. [cited 26 January 2003]. Available from World Wide Web: <http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Children/20000420_eff_coppa_faq.html>.

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act seeks to protect children under 13 from potentially harmful marketing and data-collection practices. The law requires that online services obtain verifiable parent consent before gathering any information about children.

McGruff Safety Tips for Kids in McGruff.Org, [Online Tool]. : National Crime Prevention Council : 24 January 2003 [cited 26 January 2003]. Available from World Wide Web: <http://www.mcgruff.org/FunStuff/InternetSafety.htm>.

The McGruff Organization has a reputation with schools, parents, and children for teaching kids how to be safe from strangers. His web site continues this tradition by teaching Internet safety tips.