SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – 4 March 2010 –   Norton from Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC) announced today that its free online safety service, OnlineFamily.Norton, was awarded the iParenting Media Award in the Best Software category.  OnlineFamily.Norton is the only Web-based service to give parents the tools they need to connect with their children’s online lives and start an ongoing dialogue about what their kids see, learn and do on the computer.  Through a unique approach that establishes house rules to govern expected online conduct, OnlineFamily.Norton encourages all parents to have “The Talk” with their kids about what they’re doing online and how to act responsibly.

“We are extremely pleased that iParenting Media has recognised OnlineFamily.Norton as the best solution to protect kids online,” said Marian Merritt, Norton Internet Safety Advocate.  “Unlike existing parental controls software, which focus primarily on blocking objectionable sites and applications, OnlineFamily.Norton helps protect kids online by fostering a dialogue between parents and kids about their online lives.”

The iParenting award write-up highlights OnlineFamily.Norton’s unique approach to keeping kids safe online.  According to iParenting, “Unlike many parental control products, [OnlineFamily.Norton] aims to create dialog between parents and kids, not assert draconian control.”

The iParenting Media Award is an annual honor that recognises the most outstanding software products in the industry.  Winners are selected after real-world testing by a diverse set of parents, experts, licensed child care centres and schools nationwide in the United States.