Press Room - FamilyClick Press Release

The Original Family Channel Team Formally Launches FamilyClick, a New ISP with Advanced Filtering and Safety Capabilities to Block Offensive Material and Guard Against Predatory Activity

Virginia Beach, Va.—May 17, 2000—The original team that developed The Family Channel* into the leading family-focused television network, today introduced FamilyClick, a breakthrough Internet service for families who want to enjoy the benefits of the Internet without being subjected to offensive material or predatory activity**. FamilyClick's “total solution” combines layered technical protection, filtered e-mail and top-quality online content.

“Like all parents, I want my children to enjoy the full benefits of the Internet without being subjected to offensive and inappropriate material,” said Tim Robertson, chairman and CEO of FamilyClick. “None of the desktop filters or clean ISPs on the market can deliver and provide families the total safety solution and quality content they demand. That's why I'm bringing the integrity, creativity and experience that made The Family Channel a success to the online world, with a commitment to once again serve America's families.”

FamilyClick is a national Internet Service Provider (ISP) with advanced multi-layered filtering technology that blocks objectionable material such as adult content and hate messages for Web searches, e-mail, and chatrooms. FamilyClick also offers top-quality online content on its Web site at www., which provides families with a safe alternative for educational and entertaining online content.

Leeza Gibbons, acclaimed talk show host, child advocate and mother of three children is appearing in FamilyClick's first national television commercial scheduled to begin airing later this month. “No parent can watch their child 24 hours a day,” said Gibbons. “That's why we need a new solution like FamilyClick in our homes – a powerful tool for parents to help them protect their children in cyberspace.”

In addition, Donna Rice Hughes, nationally recognized Internet safety advocate, expert and author has joined forces with FamilyClick as the company's senior advisor and spokesperson. “In my efforts over the past six years to educate and empower parents to protect their children from cyberporn and sexual predators, I have been asked repeatedly to recommend safety technology and have remained neutral until now. At last, I can confidently recommend FamilyClick as the best resource to provide a total safety solution to ensure that children and families have a safe and rewarding online experience."

Filtering Technology

FamilyClick has the best available server-based filtering technology that involves a comprehensive two-step process:

• Site Review Filtering: This filtering process checks sites against an extensive database, updated daily, of human and computer reviewed URLs that are deemed to contain inappropriate content.
  
  
• Dynamic Document Review (DDR***): Dynamic Document Review, patented by Symantec, provides additional protection via its next generation of filtering technology. DDR is a multi-lingual, context-sensitive technology that scans pages in real time and reviews the proximity of words to each other. If inappropriate word patterns are detected, the filter blocks access to the content. By using this technology, FamilyClick can provide a superior level of filtering while ensuring that sites with suitable content are not inadvertently blocked. The DDR filters "on the fly" in real time, inappropriate text found in Internet search results, Web-based e-mail and HTML-based chatrooms.

Additionally, FamilyClick blocks offensive sites before they reach the user's desktop. Other ISPs store all visited Web sites, including pornographic ones, on the hard drive, so children can obtain that content at anytime. With FamilyClick and its instant ON feature, users are blocked from visiting offensive sites.

FamilyClick also provides tiered access levels so parents can determine the level of filtering most appropriate for their child. Five different access levels are offered based on content appropriate for specific ages. The most restrictive level, called the “Children's Playroom,” allows young children to only access a pre-approved list of sites and is therefore completely safe.

FamilyClick has established a proprietary SecureClick network for subscribers, filtering servers and the Internet to help ensure that the filtering software cannot be disabled or circumvented by tech-savvy youngsters.

Smart Search Engine

FamilyClick's default search engine for subscribers filters out offensive material and eliminates thousands of “junk sites.” The Smart Search Engine, powered by LookSmart, only includes within its search results the sites that have passed the FamilyClick layered filtering system. FamilyClick members are also free to access any search engine they choose as all results are filtered through the two-layered process at the appropriate access level.

Chat Rooms

FamilyClick only provides access to HTML-based chat rooms and automatically blocks inappropriate language that may occur in chat rooms.

Filtered e-mail

The same multi-layered systems that filter Internet material also filter all Web-based e-mail messages sent to FamilyClick subscribers—based on access levels. The FamilyClick filtering system scans all Web-based e-mail messages sent to FamilyClick subscribers and blocks those that contain offensive language, links and images with offensive text contained in the body of the e-mail message. Parents also have the option of blocking unwanted e-mail sent to their subscriber accounts via FamilyClick's “Mail Block.” FamilyClick continually updates lists of spammers and blocks messages sent from their addresses or alias addresses.

Original Content

FamilyClick offers multiple channels of original content that are both educational and entertaining. Channels include ParentingClick, Home and GardenClick, MoneyClick, Family FunClick, LearningClick, KidzClick, TeenClick, FoodClick and SportsClick. Additional services include personal Web pages, games, news updates, weather and stock quotes. FamilyClick content is available to both subscribers and site visitors.

Pricing and Availability

Both the online service and site content are available today. The subscription fee is $21.95 a month, with the first month free. The annual fee for those signing a year contract is $234.95, an 11 percent discount from the monthly rate. Interested families can learn more at www. or request information by mail by calling 1-800-4-Family.

Management Team

FamilyClick is led by Tim Robertson and the team that built The Family Channel into the premier family television network. Larry Dantzler, FamilyClick's CFO, helped build The Family Channel by overseeing the financial, information technology, investor relations, and administrative functions of the company.

About FamilyClick

Headquartered in Virginia Beach, Va., FamilyClick is the leading provider of family-focused Internet services and a destination site at which families can find top-quality online content. With its advanced multi-layered safety technology, subscribers are free to enjoy the benefits of the Internet without the dangers. The FamilyClick network consists of the FamilyClick ISP and Web site and its partner affiliates including Oracle, Symantec Corp., Network Appliance, Software.com, Concentric Network, and F5 Network. FamilyClick uses equipment from Cisco Systems. Sun is also a FamilyClick strategic technology vendor. For more information, visit www..

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