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Contact: Tinabeth Burton, Phone: 703-284-5305 or E-mail: tburton@itaa.org
               Elissa Lumley, Phone: 202-828-8845 or E-mail: lumleye@fleishman.com
               Chris Watney, Phone 202-514-2007, E-mail chris.j.watney@usdoj.gov
 
 


U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, LEADING TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION LAUNCH WEB SITE TO TEACH CHILDREN RESPONSIBLE COMPUTER USE

Offers Parents, Educators Back-To-School Tools to Teach Kids
About Online Ethics





Arlington, VA, September 5, 2000 - As America's children go back to school, The Cybercitizen Partnership, a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Information Technology Association of America Foundation (ITAA), the nation's leading technology association, today launched a new Web site for parents and educators designed to teach kids the right ways to use the Internet.

The new Web site - www.cybercitizenship.org - represents a major national effort to provide teachers, parents and their children with a new learning tool - responsible computer use.  The Web site is initially focused on providing support for parents, and will expand to assist teachers and appeal to kids.

"Young people are growing up in a society where the Internet is central to everything from commerce to recreation," said U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno.  "Unfortunately, criminal activity exists online just as it does on the streets.   As children learn basic rules about right and wrong in the off-line world, they must also learn about acceptable behavior on the Internet."

"This is a first-of-its kind government/private sector initiative to help kids realize that the rules of the road in the off-line world also apply in the online world," said ITAA President Harris N. Miller.  "As the Internet becomes more important to our daily lives, this initiative will help kids make informed decisions about online behavior."

The Cybercitizen Partnership was formed last year to focus national attention on cyber social behavior and the importance of teaching young computer users to recognize that, in addition to protecting themselves from the more unsavory and potentially dangerous behavior found in parts of the Internet, they must understand that, when online, they are responsible for their own actions and that these actions have consequences both for themselves and others.  The same standards of ethics expected in the off-line world must be applied to the online world.  The Web site will provide parents with several tools including:
Teachable Moments:  Tips to help parents use real-life events, news stories and examples to help them talk to their kids about the responsibilities they must accept when using the Internet;
 

Links:  Relevant sites to connect parents to other programs and organizations offering helpful information;

Logo:  A kid-friendly character, created specifically for The Cybercitizen Partnership, that reminds young computer users to "Surf Like A Hero, Not A Zero"

Current Events: Useful news coverage on cyber ethics and cyber crimes and a calendar of events for educational programs;

White Paper:  A situation analysis and call-to-action addressing the need to educate children about responsible cyber social behavior;

Ask The Experts:  A list of experts on cyber ethics, who will be available to respond to email inquiries from visitors to the site.
 

"Now that students have rapidly increasing access to the Internet at school and at home, the key is to excite them while teaching them the right way to use the new medium," said Van B. Honeycutt, president and CEO of Computer Sciences Corporation and chairman of The Cybercitizen Partnership.  "Our children represent the future technology workforce, which is why it's so important for industry to play a major role in helping kids learn responsible cyber behavior."

The Web site will evolve and eventually include:  a directory of educational initiatives across the country dedicated to integrating messages about responsible cyber social behavior; new links to valuable Web sites; and interactive tools for parents and teachers on cyber ethics.

Announced in March of 1999 by the U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, The Cybercitizen Partnership serves as an umbrella organization to identify cyber social behavior initiatives and to help create a movement to address legal and ethical issues online.  Current supporters of the program include: Computer Sciences Corporation (www.csc.com); Oracle (www.oracle.com); www.onehealthbank.com; MERANT (www.merant.com); Mirus Information Systems (www.mirusinfo.com); Stanford Consulting Group, Cyveillance, Inc., iDefense (www.idefense.com), the Recording Industry Association of America (www.RIAA.com) and BITS, the Technology Group for the Financial Services sector (www.bankersround.org).

About ITAA

The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) provides global public policy, business networking, and national leadership to promote the continued rapid growth of the IT industry.  ITAA consists of 400 direct and 26,000 affiliate corporate members throughout the U.S., and a global network of 41 countries' IT associations. The Association plays the leading role in issues of IT industry concern including information security, taxes and finance policy, digital intellectual property protection, telecommunications competition, workforce and education, immigration, online privacy and consumer protection, government IT procurement, human resources and e-commerce policy.  ITAA members range from the smallest IT start-ups to industry leaders in the Internet, software, IT services, ASP, digital content, systems integration, telecommunications, and enterprise solution fields.  For more information visit www.itaa.org.

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