Microsoft publishes safe computing guide aimed at teens

Google's not the only company rolling out the family safety information today. Microsoft, too, has a new resource available. It's not a website, though, it's a 17-chapter e-book -- and it's exactly the kind of thing I've been wishing I could pass out to customers for a decade.

Own Your Space [Google PDF viewer link] is presented as a series of stories. You'll meet Eric, Braden, and a host of other lovable oafs who clearly don't know a rogue antivirus app from a hole in the ground. Yes, it's cheesy. Yes, the language is kind of annoying if you're a techie. But it's also exactly the kind of thing you've been wanting to plop into your helpless friend's hands and then tell them to read it carefully before they ask you to fix their computer again. While it's aimed at teens, Own Your Space is a good read for just about anyone who isn't what you'd call a seasoned Internet veteran.

This isn't a one-off, either. The threat landscape is constantly changing, and Microsoft says Own Your Space will be updated on a regular basis to keep readers informed about new risks.

"Eric found out the hard way that a hacker had back-doored his system and had been sifting confidential information from it. Well, not really Eric's system. It was his mom's system and her confidential information. Oops... sorry, Mom."

Oh, Eric, you're such a goof. And frankly, you've got a lot to learn about staying safe on the Internet.

Tags: guide, handbook, microsoft, own your space, OwnYourSpace, safety, security