The World Wide Web, more commonly known as "The Web," is a scheme that unites the informational resources of educational institutions, public and private organizations, and businesses from around the world. The Web is the most popular place for you to visit on the Internet. A Web site consists of a "page," or a collection of pages, containing text, pictures, and links for downloading games or software - and, increasingly, sound and video clips. Because these "pages" are all interconnected, inter-indexed, and inter-referenced, one can easily access information from several different countries in the period of a few moments. The Web, and the Internet upon which it lives, exist independent of geographic and political boundaries. There are literally millions of sites on the Web, which you access using software on your computer called a Web "browser."


What are the Benefits of Web sites?

The Web has many advantages for you. It offers:

. An abundance of resources and up-to-date information on almost every conceivable subject
. A fun and entertaining place to play games, listen to music, watch videos and pursue hobbies
. The opportunity to create personal Web sites where you can post your writing, drawings or poetry
. A way of meeting other people with similar interests


What are the Risks Associated with Web Sites?

There is a downside to this unique resource. You may encounter:

. Information that's misleading or incorrect, and online hoaxes or scams
. Pornography and other sexually explicit material.
. An unregulated marketing environment. On the Web, none of the traditional restrictions on advertising to children or adults apply.
. Threats to your privacy from Web sites that solicit personal information.
. Hate sites containing racist, bigoted, or sexist content.
. Promotion of unhealthy or antisocial activities, such as smoking, drinking, gambling, taking drugs or joining cults.
. Violent, dangerous, or illegal material.

In the following sections, you will find information on how to enjoy the many advantages the Web offers, while mitigating the associated risks, and ensuring that your own behavior is proper, ethical, and legal.


E-mail

E-mail, formally known as "electronic mail," works very similarly to postal mail, only without any paper or human labor involved. It serves as a way of sending text or other data from one person to another via the Internet. e-mail - unlike regular mail - is almost instantaneous, no matter how far apart the correspondents. It's the most common way to contact people on the Internet; and it also enables users to send computer files of almost any kind - documents, graphics, video clips, and so on.

If managed well, e-mail can be a great way to communicate in writing with family, friends, teachers, and colleagues.