What is iCue?

iCue is a free, online collaborative learning environment for students and lifelong learners ages 13 and up. It includes discussion forums, fun games and activities, and hundreds of current and historic videos from NBC News. iCue open to anyone age 13 or older, and is built on principles of peer collaborative learning and educational gaming established by researchers at the MIT Education Arcade.

What kind of content is on iCue?

iCue includes content from NBC News as well as from other NBC properties and from our content partners. Users will find hundreds of current and historic videos as well as articles, images, photos, and charts and graphs organized into educational courses. In the Student Center, they will also find content from the NBC Entertainment and Sports sites. All of the content on iCue has been selected to be appropriate for an audience that includes minors ages 13 and up. In some cases, material of educational and historic importance may include references – such as images of war or violence – that may be upsetting to some students. We encourage you to explore iCue yourself, and discuss these issues with your child.

How does iCue protect my child's personal information?

iCue and all of its services are designed to comply with The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), as well as other laws and regulations regarding the collection and storage of information. It is not open to children under the age of 13, and collects no information from children under the age of 13. You can find more information about COPPA from the Federal Trade Commission.

As part of the operation of ICUE, we collect certain information from the students, teachers and parents who register for the site. We collect name, birth date, and zip code only for purposes of age and identity verification, and do not display this or other personally identifying information anywhere on the site, or share it with any outside party. Other information, such as username and state or country, can be displayed at the user's discretion to the whole iCue community, to friends only, or to no one. To learn what we do with that information, please review our privacy policy at www.icue.com/privacy.

What contact will my child have with others online?

One of the best parts of iCue is the ability to discuss issues, ask questions, and get feedback from friends and other iCue users. We encourage our members to join our Community Forums, trade Cue Cards with notes and ideas, and comment on the written work of their peers. We have worked hard to create a safe, comfortable place for all of our members.

Communication between members takes place in moderated forums which are open only to other iCue members. All members must agree to abide by our Community Rules. We ask members to not share or post personal information on the site, and to treat all other members with respect. Bullying, "flaming", requests for personal information, and other negative behavior will not be tolerated. While we cannot monitor these discussion boards 24/7, members also have the ability to flag inappropriate comments or email us with any concerns. Obscenity, "flames", personal information, and other inappropriate discussion will be removed from the boards as soon as we or our members discover it. Members who persistently engage in negative behavior will be excluded from the site.

What other steps can I take to keep my child safe online?

Here are some additional steps to take to ensure your child's safety on our site:

1. Make sure your child never gives out personal information on the Internet.
2. Talk to your child about online "netiquette", and make sure he or she knows when and how to notify a moderator about negative behavior.
3. Please read icue's internet safety page for more information.

We value the thoughts, opinions and suggestions of parents and encourage you to feel free to get in touch with us. Please contactus@icue.com if you have questions for the staff.