Internet Safety

The Internet has opened up a whole new world for people of all ages. You can shop, plan a vacation, send a picture to a relative, talk with friends and even do research for school. This new way of finding information and communicating does come with risks. Check out the links below for ways to stay safe online.

What is a web address?

If you want to start using the Internet, you will most likely use a web browser called Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. To get to a "web site," you need a "web address." There are four major kinds of web addresses. The endings give a clue as to what type of web address it is. For example:

• Web addresses that end in .gov are government web sites. www.girlshealth.gov is a government site.
• Web addresses that end in .edu are web sites that are connected with educational institutions like schools and colleges. Check out a college web site at www.harvard.edu.
• Web addresses that end in .org are usually, but not always connected with an organization. Check out www.youngwomenshealth.org for an example.
• Web addresses that end in .com are connected with a commercial site or a company that is selling something. Nickelodeon's site at www.nick.com is an example.

Can I trust everything that I read on the Internet?

The answer is NO! Being able to tell if something on the Internet is reliable, accurate, true or real is tough for adults and even harder for teens. Some of what's out there is good information, but some of it is just plain wrong. Everyone must first question the source. So how can you tell what information is okay and what isn't okay? Here are some general tips on how to tell if the web site and information is reliable:

• Web sites that end in .gov are generally reliable because they are connected with our government.
• Look for the name of the organization, the author of the web site, and when the information was updated. Reliable web sites often have a list of references or contacts where you can find out where the information originally came from.
• If you are looking for facts, check out a few different web sites to compare information. If you are in doubt, double check facts at the library. This way you will know which web sites give you correct information.
• Ask your teachers about reliable web sites to go to for homework help. Once you find a reliable web site, you can bookmark it so you can easily find it later.
• Ask your doctor or school nurse about web sites to go to for reliable health information. When you get a recommendation from a professional, it most likely will be a web site with information you can trust.
• Reliable web sites usually have reliable links – so when you get lucky and find a great web site, you may get to know other good sites too.