Online Safety Site Revamped

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The phrase "perfect timing" comes to mind: Just as experts are hammering on the need to educate computer users about security, a co-op has revamped a Web site to do just that.

GetNetWise 2.0 is the latest incarnation of a four-year-old educational initiative. The project is designed to provide ready answers to questions about security and good computing habits, and other common technology-related issues.

The first version of GetNetWise launched in 1999 with broad support. The project is underwritten by a broad array of consumer groups, corporations, and government agencies.

Education Urged

It apparently has a ready audience. In just the last two weeks, members of the House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Science, and Research and Development heard in two separate hearings that educating computer users is key to securing cyberspace.

Steven Bellovin, a fellow at AT&T Research, told the subcommittee Tuesday that 95 to 98 percent of virus attacks could be prevented if PC users knew how to properly safeguard their computers. Defending against virus threats is among the information available on GetNetWise.

The site also offers resources on some of the pressing issues currently facing the computer industry, consumers, and lawmakers. Covered topics include privacy, security, spam, and child protection, all with a focus on consumers. Also provided are a glossary of tech terms, several FAQ sections, and links to other resources.

The idea is to create a "culture of security" in which safe computing procedure is second nature, said Orson Swindle, commissioner with the Federal Trade Commission, at a Thursday event promoting the relaunch.

Surfer Tools

"This is a collective commitment to empower Internet users," says Tatiana Gau, senior vice president of America Online, which is one of the sponsors along with the FTC. "We need to help consumers help themselves."

Though it may sound like a mere troubleshooting site, GetNetWise is anything but that. For example, the site contains pages where users can purchase the latest antivirus software online. The selections are extensively described, priced, and separated into broadband and dial-up categories.

"The idea has always been to provide one-stop shopping, where you can find anything," says Susan Grant, representing the National Consumers League.

The program's more than 20 sponsors also include such far-flung organizations as the Recording Industry Association of America, the American Library Association, and the National Consumers League.

Representatives say they are encouraged by the response the GetNetWise site has received. According to the most recent figures available, the site registers more than 100,000 hits monthly.