Box 12.2 AOL's Parental Controls AOL's parental controls provide a number of options for restricting in some ways the privileges associated with a given screen name.1 An online timer limits the amount of time a user can spend online. Web access is provided at three levels--unrestricted, unrestricted except for Web sites that are explicitly deemed inappropriate, and limited only to Web sites that are explicitly deemed appropriate for children. IM controls allow or prevent the user's sending and receiving of instant messages. E-mail controls allow or prevent the user's sending and receiving of e-mail, and can further be set to allow e-mail only from certain parties. Chat controls can be set to allow the user to participate in any chat rooms, in only selected monitored chat rooms appropriate for children, or in no chat room at all. Download controls allow or prevent the user's sending and receiving file attachments (which may include images). Newsgroup controls allow or prevent the user's gaining access to Usenet newsgroups. AOL parental controls distinguish between four categories: Kids Only, Young Teen, Mature Teen, and 18+ (General Access) categories. Kids Only (12 and under) allows access to age-appropriate features and content through AOL's Kids Only Channel and the rest of the Internet (when accessed through AOL). Fee-based services such as shopping, instant message notes, access to member profiles and all chat rooms, home pages based on AOL, and links to Web sites obtained in e-mail are blocked. Young Teen (13 to 15) allows access to age-appropriate interactive features and information on AOL and the rest of the Internet (when accessed through AOL). Fee-based services such as shopping, instant message notes, access to member profiles as well as private and member chat rooms, home pages based on AOL, and links to Web sites obtained in e-mail are blocked. Mature Teen (16 to 17) gives the most freedom compared to other children's categories, and allows access to most interactive features and information on AOL and the rest of the Internet (when accessed through AOL). Web sites with explicitly mature content are blocked. Internet newsgroups and fee-based services are blocked. General Access (18+) allows full access to all features and content on AOL and the rest of the Internet. Source: America Online 1A screen name is an online identity, similar to a CB radio "handle." An individual may have multiple screen names, and a user with appropriate privileges (usually associated with paying for the master account) can create arbitrary screen names at will for himself or someone else on his account as long those names are not already in use.