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Our purpose in life:
The purpose of the SURFSAFELY.COM
directory is to create a market driven incentive for web developers to voluntarily
rate their own content using PICS labels (Platform for Internet Content Selection),
and families a single point of reference to find labeled sites allowing them to
use PICS filters effectively.
Both major
browser vendors, Netscape Navigator (up to v4.78) and Microsoft
Internet Explorer, have already done their part by incorporating
PICS filters into their products. But, in order for this content
selection mechanism to work as intended, content developers must
also rate and label their content using ICRA
and/or SafeSurf.
And you, the parents and school administrators, must take a few
moments to configure these controls on your browsers to set the
appropriate viewing levels desired. We assure you, it is time well
spent.
To simplify this task, two chapters from our
book, "Child Safety-Net: How to protect your children from harm online"
shown at left have been included at this site which will guide you step by step
through the entire process. You'll be amazed at how easy it really is. Just click
Help for more instructions.
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Admittedly, though, PICS
filters do have one weakness. They can do only two things with unlabeled content;
Allow it or Block it. Because so much of the web is presently unlabeled, PICS
filters allow parents to bypass filtering of unlabeled sites while continuing
to filter labeled sites, but what then is the point? Since most is unlabeled,
most would pass unchecked. If parents enable PICS to filter labeled sites and
block unlabeled sites, most get blocked. Even though the parent can allow the
viewing of unlabeled sites with a password, because the vast majority of Internet
content is unlabeled, that too gets old fast.
Enter SURFSAFELY.COM.
Because our directory requires all sites listed here to be labeled according to
content, families using SURFSAFELY.COM to
locate sites are able to use the PICS filters as they were originally intended
without the headaches. Without a centralized location to find labeled sites, PICS
filters and the labeling of web content becomes a cute novelty. With it, it becomes
a powerful tool. Now that enough people are using our directory, for web developers
the issue is simple economics. Omit labeling and lose market share. Lost market
share translates into lost revenue. People listen when money talks.
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Because labeling is voluntary, we
recognize there is the potential for abuse and deliberate misrepresentation
of content. We expect developers who list in our directory to label
their content appropriately and have already banned some who have
abused this voluntary system. We rely on our users to keep us informed
of those who would attempt to make a mockery of our directory. Our
policies are clearly spelled out in our Terms
of Use and strictly enforced. Ours is a model for industry
self-regulation like no other. Ours is a model that works.
Your support of this site by using it regularly
will help continue sending the message to web developers loud and clear
that we have a right to protect those under our care; That we have a right to
choose what enters our homes and schools via the computer, just as our front doors;
That we expect accountability from them for the content they publish online and
that they should label it accordingly so we can choose what we want in an informed
manner.
What the Web should be. What the Web CAN
be.
Sincerely,
Mark Brasche
Founder and CEO
Author, Child Safety Net
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