The Dos and Don'ts of Using the Internet

Do:

• Use the Internet to help with schoolwork. The Internet is a source of tons of information. It's like having the world's largest library at your fingertips! Use the Internet to "visit" museums in far away places, or to learn more about universities and colleges that you may be interested in attending.
• Use the Internet to meet children in other countries or to keep in touch with pen pals who live far away in this country or other countries. But be careful about talking to "strangers" on a computer network. Some people say and do things that aren't nice. Ignore or criticize messages that make you feel uncomfortable because they seem improper, indecent, or threatening. Tell a trusted adult immediately.
• Be careful with your personal information, and do not give information such as your family's address, phone number, credit card or calling card numbers, your schools' name, or your picture to anyone on a computer network that you don't personally know.
• Respect the privacy of other users on the Internet, just as you expect your privacy to be respected. How would you feel if someone read your private email or your grades?
• Be careful when you copy ("download") programs from the Internet. Use a virus scan program before loading them on your computer. Some programs on the Internet contain viruses that can harm your computer.

Don't:

• Don't give your password to anyone. Passwords are meant to protect your computer and your files. Giving them to someone else is like giving away the key to your house.
• Don't arrange to meet anyone you've met on the Internet without telling your parents.
• Don't try to break into computers. It's not a game - it's a crime, and it's an invasion of privacy since computers often contain sensitive information.
• Don't make copies of any copyrighted material, like books, magazines or music, without the permission of the author, publisher, or artist. Copyrighted works are available (usually illegally) on the Internet. You are committing a crime if you copy and distribute them. Don't steal copyrighted computer programs ("software") by copying them from the Internet. This is the same as stealing them from a store.
• Don't copy material that you find on the Internet and pretend that it's your own work. It's the same as copying a book or magazine article and pretending that you wrote it. It's also easy to get caught. Remember, your teacher and thousands of other students have access to the same material.