If “you spend all your spare time surfing for pornography,” Northwestern University Information Technology’s new “Get Control” Web site suggests this may be a warning sign of Internet addiction.
NUIT recently updated its services to aid the NU community with Internet concerns. The new “Get Control” Web site, subtitled “Internet Safety 101,” aims to handle topics from computer viruses to Web addiction.
The site, www.it.northwestern.edu/getctrl, is divided into sections, each containing NUIT’s suggestions and links to other sources.
NUIT ran a similar site three years ago for new students. The old site focused only on social issues, such as addiction and harassment.
Since then, the site has grown to provide resources to the entire community. The influx of viruses and junk e-mail has changed the sites’ objectives, said Thomas Board, director of Technological Support Services.
“Computer viruses in dorms (are) not something to laugh off,” he said.
Computer viruses have infected NU for a few years, but more recent grumbles of spam, or junk e-mail, have infiltrated NUIT. The site recommends installing Norton Antivirus to limit such infection.
“We would like to establish a place to point people about what resources are available,” Board said. “It is one’s personal responsibility, however, to update their computers and remain informed.”
Some students recognized the necessity of the Web site but also said it should be better publicized.
“ResCons cannot always help students,” said Molly Grubert, a McCormick sophomore. “Having additional resources for Northwestern student’s disposal will be very helpful.”
“Bulk e-mail is not always the best way of getting something across,” Grubert added. “Posters in dorms, computer labs and Norris (University Center) would be much better.”
ResCons had mixed reactions to the site.
“Security is something everyone should know about and take precaution against,” said Joshua Widzer, a McCormick sophomore and Elder Hall ResCon.
“Get Control” also covers such areas as privacy and harassment. NUIT suggests that Internet users not give out any information or put any personal information on the Web.
The site also recommends that users tell the harasser to stop and to see University Police if such offensive electronic communication continues.
NUIT will host “IT Knowledge at Noon,” a series of free monthly seminars where the NU community can receive firsthand instruction about protecting one’s account and computer. For more information, visit http://www.northwestern.edu/training/technology/classes.html.
