
Project OPEN is a joint effort of the Interactive Services Association, the National Consumers League, and leading online and Internet service companies. Its primary mission is to help consumers learn how to use online and Internet services in an informed and responsible way. In addition to educating online users about how to protect their privacy, Project OPEN focuses on empowering parents and educators to protect children online, protecting online consumers from fraud and teaching online consumers about intellectual property rights. Along with NCL and ISA, Project OPEN's partners include America Online, AT&T, CompuServe, The Microsoft Network, and NETCOM On-Line Communications Services. In addition, Bell Atlantic and NYNEX provide support for the Project OPEN privacy initiative.
The Project OPEN sponsors are committed to making consumers' online experiences safe and enjoyable. Two brochures have been created. The first, Making the Net Work for You: How to Get the Most Out of Going Online, is a basic primer for first-time online users. It also provides information to parents about online controls that are available to limit children's access to areas within online services or on the Internet and to monitor the time they spend in cyberspace.
The second brochure, Protecting Your Privacy When You Go Online, offers detailed information about online privacy issues, ranging from what people can learn about other people's identities in chat rooms to personal online safety, data collection, sending e-mails and posting to bulletin boards. It provides basic privacy tips and advice on how to avoiding fraud or abuse by safeguarding one's personal information.
Project OPEN also offers advice for consumers about "spam," unsolicited e-mail.
You can read and download the brochures through this section of the National Fraud Information Center's web site. To obtain free hard-copies, call Project OPEN's distribution number at 1-800-466-6736. For more information, use this link to Project OPEN's site on the World Wide Web.
For Media. About. More Resources for Consumers. Search. NCL. Privacy.
NFIC is a project of the National Consumers League. All rights reserved. © 1997.