Please accept this letter from my client, Patricia Lindsay, Executive Director of Curiocity's FreeZone. She can be reached at 312-705-3826 or plindsay@ttmedia.com. I can be reached for questions at 312-251-5100 or mmcconnell@ksapr.com. Thank you.

-- Marty McConnell

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Ned Crabb
Wall Street Journal Letters to the Editor

April 26, 1999

To the editor:

Mr. Simons is correct (April 21, B1): it is safe to say that some Web site operators are less than enthusiastic about the Federal Trade Commission's proposed new rule regarding kids' online safety. It is also safe to say that some drivers don't enjoy fastening squirming toddlers into safety seats, and that some parents don't relish the task of convincing resistant kids that bike helmets are necessary.

But those drivers and those parents who value kids over convenience and cost buckle those children in and strap on the protective gear. And sites such as Curiocity's FreeZone commit to taking every step possible to protect kids online.

We view the FTC's rules as an excellent starting point for ensuring kids' safety, and we applaud the commission's efforts on behalf of children online. But any site truly concerned with kids' welfare will not be content with merely satisfying rules; we will continue to not only meet, but exceed what is required by regulation.

Only monitoring by trained adult employees can ensure that children do not give out personal information, that they do not post inappropriate content themselves, that everything possible is done to protect those kids. Such monitoring is undeniably costly, but any kids online content provider unwilling to protect children at any price is in the wrong business. Safety is expensive, but a child is priceless.

Sincerely,