For those of you who've just been added, welcome to the Internet Connection's "SpotLite" mailing list. We'll be sending "SpotLite" out about once a week to let you know what's new at the Internet Connection - conferences and guests, new and interesting software and files, upcoming events, contests, and more. The most exciting part of being online is communication, so we'd like to encourage your response and participation. Let us know what you'd like to see in the Internet Connection, who you'd like us to interview, good files for our Software Library, and what you'd like to discuss about the Internet.
[As always, if you would like to be removed from this list, simply click on the "Reply" button and type "No, thanks" in the message body.]
* SPOTLITE *
______ INTERNET CONNECTION ________
August 18 - August 25, 1995
*CHAT About the Web Room in the People Connection is staffed from 8pm -11pm ET on a daily basis. Drop by to say hi and hang out with your friendly Cyberjockeys. (CJ = Cyberjockey = Internet Connection Staff).
CONFERENCES coming soon! The Internet Connection will be bringing you one-on-one conferences on topics ranging from "What is archie and why do I need it?" to "How do I configure my LAN?" to "Help! I think I'm in love with someone I've never met!" Meet Answerman, Netgirl, and other Internet experts in the Internet Connection's Conference Room. Watch SpotLite for the times and topics of these informative and fun discussions.
While the Internet contains much useful and worthwhile information, many parents are concerned with the amount and type of access their children have to the Internet. Many wonder what ways there are to protect their children from content intended for adults. One solution America Online provides is "Parental Controls."
Newsgroups act basically like message boards do on AOL. They are a collection of world-wide "discussion groups" that are visited by millions of people. These groups discuss a wide range of topics from politics to sex.
America Online has provided parents with tools to block out newsgroups which may contain material which is inappropriate for children. These Parental Controls will allow you to block out text and graphics which also may be unsuitable for children.
To access Newsgroups Parental Controls, click on the Parental Controls button at keyword NEWSGROUPS. You will be presented with a window listing all active screen names. To edit or activate Parental Controls for any given sub-account screen name, click the radio button next to the name and then click "Edit."
You will then see a window titled "Blocking Criteria." This window covers all access controls available for the screen name you selected. The options are:
Block Expert Add
Unlike the Add Newsgroups button, which limits newsgroup selections to those listed in the browseable database, Expert Add lets you add ANY newsgroup for which you know the USENET-style name. For example, aol.motd is the USENET-style name of the "Important America Online Messages" newsgroup. Selecting this choice prevents adding newsgroups through this method.
Block All
This prevents access to all USENET and local newsgroups.
Block binary downloads
This option blocks the capability to download posted USENET files, which may contain graphics, sounds, animations, photographs and programs. Due to the potentially explicit nature of some of the USENET files, parents may want to supervise downloading activity.
Use full newsgroup list
By default, the Search Newsgroups button only searches the America Online's browseable database of newsgroups. Similarly, Add Newsgroups only operates on the America Online's browseable database. When the Use full newsgroup list option is checked, the sub-account is able to search and browse the complete AOL USENET list. Due to the potentially explicit nature of some of these groups, parents may choose to review the full list prior to granting sub-account access.
Block Newsgroups containing these words in the name:
The Master Account holder can restrict access to particular newsgroups by including portions of their USENET-style names in this list box. For example, to block all newsgroups containing the word "politics" enter "politics" in the box.
Block the following newsgroups:
The Master Account holder can restrict access to specific newsgroups by entering their complete USENET-style names in this listbox. For example, to restrict access to the "Cool Newsgroups" newsgroup, simply enter aol.newsgroups.cool in the box.
DON'T FORGET that you can use Parental Controls to keep your child out of inappropriate areas on America Online, as well. For more information, use Keyword:Parental Controls. Of course, nothing is better than *you* sitting beside your child, sharing the excitement of exploring the online world. :)
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The Internet Connection Sunday Event:
Rich Mintz of FIRST VIRTUAL Holdings, Inc.
Sunday, August 20, 1995 at 10pm ET in the Bowl
(Keyword:Center Stage)
Does do-it-yourself Internet entrepreneurship really work? This is your chance to find out! Rich Mintz is the Director of Merchant Support for FIRST VIRTUAL. FIRST VIRTUAL Holdings Incorporated was founded to make it easy for virtually anyone to buy or sell information over the Internet. Rich supervises FIRST VIRTUAL's seller support, including support for new and existing sellers in the InfoHaus and sellers installing FIRST VIRTUAL's software on their own servers. His department is responsible for the FIRST VIRTUAL Internet Payment System and InfoHaus user documentation, and for working with FIRST VIRTUAL's technical staff to extend the features of the Internet Payment System and InfoHaus in response to the needs of FIRST
VIRTUAL customers.
Upcoming Sunday Events include:
Andy King; Webmaster
John Perry Barlow of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
