These days the concern is Internet safety and security, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is turning to a new messenger--a savvy little turtle named "Dewie" with a hardened shell that won't get crushed on the Internet.
The FTC is keeping details about Dewie under wraps until an official unveiling in September, a representative for the federal agency said late Tuesday.
But the Net being the Net, and Washington wags being, well, Washington wags, it's hard to keep anything about the Web secret for very for long.
Last week at a high-tech summit of government officials and business leaders in Aspen, Colo., Commissioner Orson Swindle let a few specifics slip about the smart-thinking critter.
Dewie will be green, of course, but his shell will be gold. A picture of him speeding through a communications pipeline in a race car below the slogan "Safe at Any Speed" can be found on the FTC's Web site.
"I hate to compare him to the Ninja Turtles," Swindle said, referring to the once wildly popular "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" cartoon. "He's a friendly turtle."
Dewie's mission will be teaching children to take precautions when they are online.
"The idea is to get (children) thinking about it--just like we get them to look both ways before crossing the street," Swindle said.
The FTC effort will likely resonate with generations of Americans who--when struck with the urge to toss a candy wrapper out a car window--still recall Woodsy Owl's plea to "Give a hoot. Don't pollute."
Officials said the Dewie campaign is part of the federal government's broad effort to promote a "culture of security" and the view that every person who uses computers and networks, such as the Internet, has a role in keeping cyberspace safe.
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