Teens and the Internet: are you a savvy Web surfer? (USA).

Colby Wilson, 13, has the world at her fingertips. Perched in front of her computer, she downloads music, researches history papers, checks out the Abercrombie Kids Web site, and takes part in up to 10 Instant Message conversations--all at the same time!

Just 20 years ago, none of Colby's breakneck clicking would have been possible. The Internet has revolutionized how most Americans work, play, study, and shop.

Today, more than half of all U.S. homes are wired for Internet access. That figure should reach 90 percent by the time you graduate from high school.

Seventy percent of U.S. teens are online either at home or school, according to a recent study. Teens like you are the first to be "born with a mouse in [your] hand," says Parry Aftab, an Internet-education expert and founder of WiredKids.

As Colby, an eighth-grader in New Jersey, explains: "My parents aren't really up-to-dare with everything the Internet can do. Sometimes I have to explain how to log on, or help my mom get her e-mail. I think kids are just more comfortable with the technology than adults are because we've had it all our lives."

A Passport to the World

The Internet is a vast network of millions of computers that provide electronic communication around the world. The idea for the system has been around since the 1960s. But it was only in the early 1990s that the World Wide Web became an international sensation, affecting homes, schools, and businesses.

The Internet makes it easier than ever before to go to the "horse's mouth"-the experts themselves. Got a question for President Bush? E-mail the White House. Doing a report on children who live in other countries? Go to kidlink.org to find an international e-mail pal.

Access to the Web nor only helps kids with schoolwork. It can also improve citizenship, says Jerry Adams, founder of awesomelibrary.org.

"Informed voters are better citizens, not just in the U.S. but worldwide," Adams says. The Internet, he adds, "gives kids unprecedented access to genius, to creative minds, to the world at large."

The Web features thousands of sites that focus on music, movies, and sports. But it also connects teens to current events, social causes, and volunteer opportunities.

For many young people, the Net is a favorite means of communication.

"My kids don't talk on the phone nearly as much as I did growing up," says Colby's mom, Lisa.

According to Parry Aftab, talking online is a great way for shy or disabled teens to express themselves.

"When you're online, nobody can see color or hear an accent, or know whether or not you're missing an arm or a leg," she says. "Online, people are judged exclusively on how they express themselves. It's all about the quality of what's inside."

Some kids have turned their Internet savvy into businesses. In 1999, 11-year-old Keith Peiris founded Cyberteks Design in London, Ontario, Canada. Peiris's international company has won several awards for the Web sites it designs.

Today, the 14-year-old is a boss to 10--including his dad--and has offices in the U.S. and Europe.

E-Dangers

Unfortunately, the Internet also holds some dangers. Kevin, 13, knows just how careful kids have to be. "The Internet is like being out [alone] in the city," he says, "except you don't know when someone is watching you." On wirerlkids.org, teens can find tips to protect themselves from online dangers.

The most important rule is never to share personal information with anyone you have not met in person. And don't tell too much about yourself in e-mails or chat rooms--your full name, school, the places you like to hang out. Otherwise, a creep might fir the pieces together and find you.

A new scam, says Aftab, is for an online "buddy" to pose as a troubled teen. The person then begs for help and personal information, like a phone number.

"Too often, people think that the person the/re talking to online is being honest about who they are," says Aftab. But devious adults can lure unsuspecting kids into trouble.

Last May, a 13-year-old Connecticut girl was murdered by a man she had met online. If you sense something fishy about an online "buddy," tell an adult. By taking action, you might keep other kids from harm.

Access for All

Internet experts fear a different kind of peril, too: a lack of access to the Internet for all kids. Many teens, they say, cannot develop skills that will be valuable down the road.

Today, 8 of the 10 fastest-growing career areas are tied to computers and the Internet. But these skills may be unattainable for many poor Americans. Eighty-four percent of low-income, inner-city homes do not have computers; one study reports. And there are 4 million low-income U.S. children without phone lines.

Schools help dose the gap: Nearly 90 percent of U.S. public schools provide Internet access (see graph. p. 23).

All Americans need the chance to log on, says Aftab. "The greatest danger for kids," she says, "is to be denied access to this incredible resource.