Enter ConnectSafely.com. This site is full of information. news, and guides to educate, inform, and help to protect social networking users online. Upon first entry, you’ll see that the site is quite aesthetically pleasing. A soft white background provides a perfect backdrop for nativity scenes of the information generation, skateboarders with iPods, kids using video cameras, and especially the woman on the computer. A quick viewing of the “About Us” page shows that the site is totally non-profit, and its sole aim is to propagate safety knowledge and make young people and adults more aware and cognizant of their roles online and how to become more safe.

The site is very easy to navigate and quite ergonomically laid out. The main functions of the site are all in the left hand corner of the screen on every page you will visit, so you can always quickly move from one page to the next with ease.

If you are a concerned parent, safety tips and advice is the tier you will find yourself browsing. All articles are laid out in chronological order and all contain information pertinent to online safety and other technology based precautions and advice. This section can bring an adult who didn’t know what a modem was to a buff about advanced concepts such as anonymous proxy servers, and how to surf the Internet anonymously and securely; and they would know everything about secure tunnels. The point is, there is quite a bit of imperative content on this site, and the information can be passed on quite easily.

“News And Views” is a section dedicated to new laws, technology updates, and just general information about the information generation. There is also an interesting section where the staff voices their opinions and you get to hear candidly what they believe about the state of technology and communication sites today. Have no fear though! If you wish to speak your voice, there is a guest commentary section where just about anyone can write in and have their voice and opinions read and commented on by anyone that visit’s the site.

The most intuitive part of the site though has to be the forum section. This is an area where registered users can congregate, and discuss all topics ranging from Internet-related stuff or just about kids and school! The community here is very friendly towards each other and the forum is patrolled by moderators to make sure no one gets out of line, and no spam is posted. This can be a very useful tool even if you are unregistered; with a quick search bar entry, you could find a thread that asks and answers your specific question. If not, signing up is free and easy and only requires a couple of clicks and a valid e-mail address. While articles and other documents are very useful, sometimes it is more reassuring to read something written from somebody who has responded to you directly.

There is another section of the site that hosts various videos and other streaming content. Luckily these are streaming videos, which means they require no downloads. (think YouTube) The content ranges from lectures and seminars delivered by the staff and other spokespeople of the site, and the comedic portrayal of “The Webs.” This is a parody of the stereotypical sitcom family and it hilariously introduces and reinforces Internet knowledge and security information. This is great for kids who would faint at the sound of the word “lecture”. This allows them to glean the same content, but enjoy it in a tasty and funny fashion.

The Press Room will tell you how popular and widely revered the site is; awards and features galore. http://www.connectsafely.org/ is exactly what this world needs right now and appeals to every demographic and age group; kid or adult, Internet savvy or not. One cannot even comprehend the importance of being safe online these days, especially with all of the online thievery and children exploited online everyday. If you’ve come for Internet security and tips for remaining anonymous and safe online, look know further: http://www.connectsafely.org/ has what you need.

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Epic.org is one of the world’s leading privacy sites, and publishes the esteemed EPIC alert every two weeks, which highlights and raises awareness about struggles for civil and privacy rights all over the globe, along with other publications similar in nature. EPIC has always been an advocator of comprehensive personal privacy safeguards.

Along with these publications, EPIC propagates their righteous message through their website. The home page is loaded with the latest news in descending order, and everything on there is pertinent; no shameless self-advertising or pushing other websites. At the top of the site is easy-to-navigate buttons that can transport you from the home page, to a biographical one, to an online store, press, etc. This makes the site very user friendly and allows even an apprentice of the Internet to get what they need. On either side of the main articles are offshoots of the site, such as a search bar, a topic system, and a whole bunch of goings-on. The search bar is very useful as the site has accumulated tons of articles, and they can all be quickly sorted by a couple keystrokes of the information you wish to obtain.

EPIC realizes that not everyone likes to visit a website to get their information, or just wishes to connect further. Being that EPIC is for the people, they connect on the people’s level. They offer links to an EPIC FaceBook, Twitter, and for those utilizing RSS feeds, they broadcast in this way.

EPIC was created to help the public; this always was and still is the goal. In a society where privacy is quickly becoming an idyllic memory, EPIC is trying to reverse it. While people have a voice and can state their opinions, nobody will really listen or take action if it’s just one guy. If it is a group of people, then the offending organization will listen a little more. Only another bona fide organization will stand up to another though, and this is where EPIC comes in. They are the people’s voice.

EPIC formed in 1994, when they saw that civil rights, and the people’s First Amendment rights were being encroached upon. Early on, they focused on government surveillance and the like. In 2000, they became a non-profit organization, they began to work on a much wider spectrum of Internet issues: privacy invasion, online hackers, and even the harrowing problem that is identity theft. Currently, EPIC is working to make the government less secretive about everything they do by filing “Freedom of Information” act requests, which requires the government to make certain things they do public knowledge. They have also helped out in the political realm, working to ensure equality by researching and enhancing online voting systems.

Keep in mind while providing these public philanthropy services, EPIC remains a non-profit organization. Some may be wary of logging onto non-profit sites, as some throw down the offering cup and beg you for money as soon as it is loaded. Others will slyly move you towards that part of their site to try and coerce you into making a donation. EPIC does none of that. They don’t even try to play on your heartstrings by telling you they are a non-profit site right away. It is what it is: there is a donations page, and you either make a small donation or not, there is no obligation.

A very useful part of EPIC and one that many people use as a reference tool is the annual reports. Every year, EPIC creates an annual report highlighting everything important that happened that year, and giving a state of affairs as far as privacy, civil, and First Amendment rights go.

If you are interested in learning more or becoming active in EPIC, going to the “Events”, “Press”, or to make a donation, “Support EPIC” pages.  Also, visit the site periodically to take a look at the “Take Action” highlight on the right side; this will allow you to actively make a change, and do as the title says. EPIC is as its title says. It is an epic effort required to maintain civil and privacy rights, and especially the First Amendment of the rapidly waning Constitution. As I said before though, one man nor can a disorganized group rouse change, but a true organization with great credentials can. EPIC is the people’s voice, and in a subject where some people are just so downtrodden they roll over and give in to whatever liberties are taken from them, EPIC is there to give them back the power. With so many ways to get connected and a great organization with years of experience, EPIC will get people involved and will protect our rights as it promises. It might be cliché to say, (and possibly copyrighted; sorry Allstate!) but we are truly in good hands with EPIC. Check it out and join in at epic.org.

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Arranged in an easy-to-navigate post-by-post format, the site is quite user-friendly. The most recent posts are at the top, while older posts get closer to the bottom of the page, and once the page ends, there is a button that allows you to access even older posts.

It could get tedious clicking back over and over again to get to the older posts, but luckily there is a handy “Archives” function that sorts all posts by year and month.

If you are simply looking for information on a particular subject, and don’t know the date of the post, there is a “Categories” function. Each post is classified before it is uploaded, and then sorted into the specific category.

If I wanted to read the article on “Cookies” from September 15, 2008, all I would have to do is go to the Archives page and click September 2008 link. If I just wanted to read about Cookies, I could just click the “Cookies” category page and instantly have access to a wealth of information on the subject.

Another useful function is the “Important Links” column on the main page. This will bring you to other pertinent locations to learn more about online safety.

The articles are laid out beginning on the main page, and are written in a thumbnail type format. You get a little sample of what the article is about, and then if you are interested, can click to see the rest. If you want to leave a message behind for the editors or other readers, then you can also leave a comment.

Oftentimes, the articles will have their content and then a link for you to visit if you are interested in more. There is also a “tell a friend” function, allowing you to keep your friends up-to-date and educated on the Internet.

Overall, a very useful, educational, and easy to navigate site. Internet security is not a simple matter, and Privacy Gourmet doesn’t want to confuse you even more just within their site. News, articles, advice; everything the concerned Internet traveler needs to stay safe and secure online.

Check it out at http://www.privacygourmet.com/.

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Easy to navigate, CyberArmy has all of its links in the top of its page. This allows for one-click access to whatever you wish to browse. A log-in function is always located in the side of the screen too, so you don’t have to fumble around the site forever to try and login, as some pages require.

With a Army theme, the site is hard not to love. Each registered user (quick and easy to do so) gets a military rank. Beginners start out as a Recruit, and you can advance throughout the system all the way up to the head honcho, the CinC. The camaraderie between the site’s members is as palpable as the bonds that hold actual servicemen together.

The site truly is a community. With a forum to post your thoughts, and brigades to join and help fight the good fight, it is easy and inevitable that you will become immersed.

The thing that everyone talks about and sets this site apart is the “SARED” simulation. This pits you against a computer and asks you to try and use your hacking skills to beat the level. Each level is exponentially harder, and for every level you complete, you get a virtual pin next to your username: nice bragging rights.

If you don’t want to get involved in the site or test your skills, the forum and library are still a great wealth of Internet information. To do this costs nothing, not even getting signed up. The site has another perk; it won’t hound you for money. Your donations are purely optional and will not be asked for.

If that weren’t enough, the site even offers a feedback option, so that the waves of unregistered users can provide honest and anonymous feedback: this shows the site is always trying to improve and is willing to take suggestions.

Ten hut soldier! Get yourself over to http://www.cyberarmy.net/about/QuickHistory and sign up to serve your virtual country.

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