Linda Criddle Given Outstanding Achievement Award by Family Institute in Online Safety

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Linda Criddle, founder of LOOKBOTHWAYS, Inc., an online safety consulting, education, and software company, was honored last night by the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) with an Outstanding Achievement Award. The award, one of eight given at the FOSI Annual Conference & Exhibition, recognizes individuals for their tremendous contributions in promoting online safety. The Family Online Safety Institute is an international non-profit that works to develop a safer Internet through events, public policy, technology and online safety. “FOSI is outstanding organization and it is a great honor to be recognized by them as a leader in the field of online safety,” states Linda Criddle. “As a mother of four, I am very passionate about raising awareness and helping to educate others on how to navigate the Web safely and enjoy all the benefits the Internet has to offer.” A former Microsoft employee, Criddle has spent the past 10 years dedicated to developing online safety technology, educating users in skills that keep them safer, and advocating for higher safety standards. She is a published author and frequently speaks to educators and law enforcement about Internet safety. The awards were announced Thursday night, December 11th at a dinner that is part of the FOSI 2008 Annual Conference and Exhibition, “Safe At Any Speed: Rules, Tools, & Public Policy to Keep Kids Safe Online.” The conference, sponsored by MySpace and Comcast, took place on December 11th at the Newseum’s Knight Conference Center in Washington, DC.

About Linda Criddle and LOOKBOTHWAYS Inc

Formerly an employee of Microsoft for 13 years and founder of LOOKBOTHWAYS Inc., Criddle is an expert in cybercrime and online safety. She holds over 30 patents in online safety technology and is the author of the award-winning book, Look Both Ways: Help Protect Your Family on the Internet. Criddle also created and teaches an online course in Internet Safety for Educators at two major universities, and has consulted with organizations such as Interpol and the British House of Lords. Her book Using the Internet Safely for Seniors for Dummies (Wiley) is scheduled to be published in April, 2009.

About The Family Online Safety Institute

The Family Online Safety Institute works to make the online world safer for kids and their families by identifying and promoting best practices, and providing tools and methods for practicing online safety, while respecting free expression. They do this 2 of 2 through the development of public policy, technology, education, and special events.

FOSI brings together leaders in government, industry and the nonprofit sector to collaborate and innovate new solutions in child safety in a Web 2.0 world.