NEW SURVEY INDICATES HOME COMPUTERS ARE NOT AS SAFE AS PARENTS BELIEVE

A new survey of 329 computer users conducted by America Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance found that while 77 percent surveyed believed their computers were safeguarded from online threats, two-thirds did not have a firewall to protect against hackers and unauthorized users.

"Many parents are naive to the danger that exists on their home computers due to a false sense of security and privacy," noted Jack Samad, senior vice president of Strategic Partnerships and Internet Safety at the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families. "Even more disconcerting, however, is that we have a younger generation being taught to trust and have faith in the technology tool they use everyday in school. Because of this, kids are opening themselves up to an unauthorized guest that has the ability to inspect their computer, which increases the threat to our children."

The National Coalition has launched a new web site, www.internetsafe.org, devoted to helping parents keep their children safe while online. The web site provides safety tips for online computer exploration, answers frequently asked questions and offers relevant information all parents need to know before allowing their kids to surf the Web.

In addition, the National Coalition developed the web site www.filterreview.com as a free service to help families find the right Internet Service Provider and filtering, blocking or monitoring system for their needs. Parents can select from a list of characteristics they desire in an Internet safety solution and are then provided with options that fit their criteria. www.filterreview.com also gives National Coalition's expert reviews of the solutions and allows consumers to offer feedback on the variety of devices.

"Technology continues to exceed our ability to monitor the information that comes into our homes, making it increasingly important for parents to be educated on Internet safety issues and ways to combat online predators," added Samad.

For more information on Internet safety, please visit www.internetsafe.org and www.filterreview.com.