+ Exchange messages, photos and documents with
friends and family;
+ Shop for all kinds of products and services, from
airline tickets to antiques, rental cars to real estate;
+ Keep track of
your finances and pay bills;
+ Plan trips, get maps, even find out what
the weather will be at your destination;
+ Buy and sell stocks;
+
Contact government agencies and other sources of information and assistance;
+ Get information and advice about health issues; and
+ Discuss
your hobbies or other topics with people who have the same interests as you.
Is It Safe To Go
Online?
Going online is a lot like going for a walk, using the
telephone, or answering a knock on your door. The same common- sense precautions
apply.
8 Common-Sense Online Safety Rules
- Guard your online account numbers carefully so no one else
can use them pretending to be you.
- Don't give your address or other personal information to
strangers you "chat" with online or who send you email.
- Don't believe promises of big profits, risk- free
investments, easy credit, or valuable prizes.
- Do business with companies and charities you know and
trust, and check out unfamiliar ones with your local or state consumer
protection agency and the Better Business Bureau.
- Find out how personal information you may be asked to
provide will be used, whether it will be shared with others, and how you can
control its use.
- Look for explanations about how your financial and other
personal information is safeguarded when you send it and in storage, if it is
kept at the other end.
- Be wary of documents attached to emails from unknown
sources or computer programs offered by unfamiliar Web sites; they may contain
computer viruses.
- Don't assume that the people you communicate with online
are who they say they are; it's easy to mask your true identity on the
Internet.
You'll find many easy-
to- use online tools to help you protect your online
privacy and security. For example, your own computer
browser may show whether the information you're
sending to a Web site is being securely transmitted.
Special software can alert you to computer viruses.
And there are many ways to control who tracks your
movements on the Internet and determine if a Web
site's privacy policy is satisfactory. Your Internet
service provider (ISP) may be a good source of
information and other resources are listed at the
end of this guide
How Do I Get Started?
Most people go online using a computer with a modem, which
is either built-in or a separate item. The modem plugs into the wall outlet for
your telephone and dials a number to reach the service that you have chosen to
connect you to the Internet. If you're going to be online a lot, consider
getting a second phone line or ask your local or long distance telephone company
about other options. For instance, new technology may allow you to connect by
telephone without tying up your line.
Depending on the service that's available in your area, you
may be able to connect to an Internet service provider (ISP) through your cable
television wire or by satellite as an alternative to a telephone line. And
instead of a computer, you could go online using equipment such as your
television, a cellular phone, or some other wireless device. Technology is
changing fast and there are more and more choices for how to go online, so take
the time to explore all the possibilities.
No matter what you use to go online, your Internet service
provider (ISP) is the gateway. Telephone and cable companies may provide this
service, and there are many other companies to choose from as well. Some provide
just the basics – email and access to the Internet. Other providers offer extra
benefits such as their own online shopping "malls, chatrooms, and customized
services."
7 Things To Consider In Choosing Your
Internet Service Provider (ISP)
- Ask your friends and relatives what providers they use and
if they're happy with the service they receive.
- If you plan to connect through a phone line, choose a
service that has a local number to dial in so you won't have to pay toll-charges
while you're online.
- Look for companies you can reach both online and offline
(by a local or toll- free number) if you need help and that have customer
service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Find out what features different providers offer and decide
which are most important to you.
- Compare prices. Some providers charge flat monthly fees;
some charge by the minute; and others may give you a choice or combination of
both. Some even provide free service, but you may have advertisements appear on
your screen in exchange.
- Know the provider's privacy policy. Find out what
information is collected about you, how that information is used, and how you
can control your personal information.
- Pay attention to security. Find out how your personal
information is protected from inappropriate access by others outside and inside
the company.
Some Internet service providers (ISP) offer discounts if you
sign up for a long- term contract and pay in advance. But things change quickly,
and companies come and go. It may make more sense to sign up for service that
gives you the flexibility to change to another provider easily if you choose.
How Can I Find Out More?
There are lots of good books, newspaper, and magazine
articles about going online. Basic Internet classes may be available at local
schools, community centers, libraries, or senior centers. Once you go online,
you'll find information about privacy and security and other helpful advice from
many sources, including the National Consumers League. So get connected, and
have a wonderful time!
Basic Online Terms
Browser: A computer program that helps you find your
way around on the Internet.
Chat: A live discussion with people who gather at a
particular place (called a chatroom) online and type messages that others who
are there can read and respond to immediately.
Cookie: A bit of electronic information that can be
placed in your computer when you visit a Web site to track what you look at
there, recognize you when you return, and in some cases, track where else you go
on the Internet.
Email: An electronic message that is typed and sent
to a specific person or group of people.
Encryption: A method used to scramble information
such as a credit card account number so it can be transmitted securely and
unscrambled only by the person for whom it was intended.
Hardware: A computer, screen, keyboard, and other
equipment.
Internet: A global system that allows computers to
communicate with each other.
Internet Service Provider (ISP): A company that
provides access to the Internet and may also offer other online services to
members or subscribers.
Newsgroup: A place where you can post messages for
others to read later.
Software: A program that tells computers how to do
specific things.
Spam: Unsolicited email, sometimes referred to as
"junk email."
Virus: A computer code that can damage your files or
disrupt your computer system. Special software can warn about viruses and
sometimes fix the damage they cause.
Web Site: A place on the Internet that is made up of
one or more "pages" and may be created by an individual, an organization, a
government agency, a school, or a company to offer information and, in many
cases, to allow interactive communication with visitors.
Basic Online Resources
National Consumers League
www.nclnet.org
Center for Democracy in Technology
www.cdt.org
Electronic Privacy Information Center
www.epic.org
GetNetWise
www.getnetwise.org
Federal Trade Commission
www.ftc.gov
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
www.privacyrights.org
U. S. Federal Government Resources
www.firstgov.gov
