1. Downloads What is safe? What won’t crash your computer What is not? What will make your computer run slowly or not at all

2. First: Antivirus The best way to protect your computer is to install a tool which will hunt down and clean up nasty files that try to invade your computer Microsoft offers a FREE tool called Microsoft Security Essentials Find it here: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

3. Music Downloading songs is only safe if you pay for them. First, it’s illegal to steal music and second, do you know where the “free” download is coming from? A good example of somewhere NOT to download from is Limewire. They share music from one person’s computer to another. Not only can these files have viruses, but this company is in trouble with the record industry and the government.

5. A Safe Source For Music iTunes allows you to pay per song. Rhapsody is a services where you pay one price (monthly) and you can stream music and download songs (be aware, this doesn’t work with iPod) But I’m just a kid! I can’t afford to pay for music! Ask for a gift card as a reward for good grades, for helping with chores, or as a birthday present. iTunes and Rhapsody

6. Computer Programs Sometimes, you need a program to help you do something. Maybe you want to edit a picture of you and your friends or your pet. You may not have Microsoft Word on your computer but need to type and essay. There are good places and bad places for this. An example is OpenOffice.org, which allows you to download a SAFE program which has almost the same features as Microsoft Word.

7. A Bad Idea Download a screen saver?

8. Desktop Picture You can still have a desktop picture without compromising your computer. Search for the picture in google. Right click and choose “set as background”

9. Danger Zone If you choose to download files you shouldn’t (such as movies, which aren’t free) from somewhere other than a place you pay for them (like iTunes)., you may get caught. If you do, you could be fined. Your computer can be traced to your home. This is an example of a bad place to download movies

10. Safe Website? Its tricky to tell if a site is safe to download from or not. If you want to be sure, try McAfee’s siteadvisor.com. McAfee makes virus protection software, so they are a good resource to ask.

11. Ask someone to look at the computer, this may mean taking it into Best Buy and having a technician look at it. Infected Computer This can cost money and sometimes lead to loss of all the data on your computer. This is why it is important to have antivirus software.