Internet Safety
While the Internet can be a wonderful place, not all of the people who use it play by the rules. There are many threats to Internet users, and unfortunately, new nuisances are cropping up all of the time.
It's important to take precautions to ensure that your Internet experience is a safe and happy one. The following sections outline some of the more common problems, and how to deal with them effectively.
IIA Family Friendly ISP Program
Optus Internet is pleased to be a participant in the Internet Industry Association's "Family Friendly ISP" program. Australian ISPs, such as Optus Internet, bearing this seal have agreed to comply with the IIA Codes of Practice. The Codes of Practice are registered with and monitored by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). More information on the IIA's Family Friendly ISP program can be found at www.iia.net.au/guideuser.html.
When dealing with an Australian ISPs who complies with the IIA Codes of Practice you can be assured that you can access a content filter that has been approved by the IIA along with access to internet safety information.
Follow the links below for more information:
The Internet Security: Content Filtering section offers scheduled filter downloads
Internet Content Issues and the regulatory regime for online services.
Copyright Notice: The IIA Family Friendly ISP seal and related text provided to licensees of the IIA Family Friendly seal program is protected under Australian copyright law and international copy right agreements and cannot be used without the express prior written consent of the Internet Industry Association (ACN 071 075 575).
Optus' participation in the Australian Governments ISP-level Internet Content Filtering Trial
Optus has applied to participate in the Governments' filtering
trial. We have prepared a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to assist
our customers and other interested parties to understand Optus' position on
network content filtering and what our trial will entail. The FAQs are
available here.
In summary:
- Optus will be selecting a small geographic area within which to
run the trial. Customers in the geographic location selected for the trial who
do not wish to participate will be able to opt-out.
- The trial will only filter based on the ACMA blacklist of
illegal content. It will not filter other types of so-called "inappropriate"
content.
- We are participating in the trial to accurately gauge the impact of filtering technology on our customers and our network.
For more information, refer to the FAQs. For more details on the Government trial, refer to the website of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.
Kids On The Net
There is no better source of educational and study material for kids than the Internet. And it's also a fun place, with a multitude of games and activities to choose from. To make sure it remains a safe place for your family, it's very important to set family rules for using the Internet and insist your kids keep you informed of their activities online. Find out more about Internet Safety: Kids on the Net.
Securing Your Computer
How safe is your computer online? Your computer is potentially vulnerable to other malicious Internet users. Fortunately, there are many precautions you can take to protect the security of your home computer and make it a less likely target. Find out how to protect your computer.Spam, Viruses & Other Nasties
Everyone who uses a computer on the Internet has heard about Viruses and Spam. But did you know about the other nuisances that can also cause havoc with your computer? Find out more about these problems and their solutions.
Internet Content Issues
In 1999, the Federal Government made amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992. This legislation introduced regulation for Internet Content, which applies to Internet Service and Internet Content Providers. Find out more about Internet Content regulations.