Web White & Blue 2000 (WWB2000) is an online public service project sponsored by The Markle Foundation in collaboration with major news and information traffic centers on the Internet (the project's "charter sites"). Markle and the charter sites in Web White & Blue 2000 seek to increase awareness and use of election-oriented resources on the Internet by journalists, academic and not-for-profit organizations, and the American people. Web White & Blue 2000 does not endorse or support candidates for public office and does not take a position on partisan or election-related issues.

The purposes of WWB2000 are to increase voter understanding of public policy and election related issues and to increase civic participation and voter interaction with candidates on a nonpartisan basis. WWB2000 will provide its users with a sample each day of interesting, newsworthy or helpful information on the Internet that allows the American citizen to engage in the 2000 national campaign online. This information will be drawn from the charter sites, other participating sites, campaigns and other actors in the national campaign. During a period from October 2000 to election day, WWB2000 will also host a "rolling cyber debate" between the presidential campaigns which will be available to both the general public and syndicated for republication by the project's charter sites.

WWB2000 promotes online access to selections of content in two ways. The first is through summaries of existing resources provided by the project's charter sites and by other sites participating through links to WWB2000. This summary of content resources will be available directly at the WWB2000 web site (http://www.webwhiteblue.org) and will also be syndicated for republication in whole or in part by the project's charter sites.

WWB2000 will also provide original content in the form of the rolling cyber debate between the campaigns and may offer additional original content such as interviews and coverage of Internet-related developments during the campaign. Content originated by WWB2000 will be syndicated to the charter sites in the project and will also be available to the public at webwhiteblue.org. Once content has been submitted to WWB2000 it will be displayed with no special favoritism to any particular charter site or other participating group.

The editorial policy of WWB2000 requires the project to be nonpartisan, fair, balanced and ethical. WWB2000 will refrain from editorial comment on the candidates, parties and campaigns. The opinions expressed in the content featured by WWB2000, including opinions expressed by users online, are solely those of the participants and do not represent the views of WWB2000 or The Markle Foundation.

In featuring content, WWB2000 will provide balance, impartiality, a range of views, and the right of those challenged to respond. Disclaimers will be displayed, where appropriate, to prevent any appearance that WWB2000 or The Markle Foundation is endorsing any candidate or particular point of view.

The WWB2000 content will be monitored by an outside independent and nonpartisan Board of Advisors drawn from the academic community who will advise the project and The Markle Foundation as to WWB2000's fairness and impartiality.

The general guidelines for selecting content to feature include these:

1. The content provides the user with up-to-date, accurate, balanced information about the 2000 campaign.

2. The content increases voter understanding of public policy and election related issues and encourages civic participation in the electoral process.

3. The content directs the user to information or interaction sites that feature useful, accurate or helpful information, especially voter education information that allows the user to meet his or her citizenship responsibilities.

4. The content is especially newsworthy and/or has been the subject of coverage by media organizations reporting on the 2000 campaign.

5. The content provides original insights or views on subjects relevant to the 2000 campaign.

6. The content (or resource) has become a particular subject of debate between the candidates or parties.

7. The content illuminates or clarifies (in a strictly impartial way) some point of contention or debate raised during the campaign.

8. The content is unique on the Internet in the format or style of its presentation.

Through links to other sites, WWB2000 will help direct users to resources that meet the criteria above. The use of a link does not constitute an endorsement by WWB2000 or The Markle Foundation of any organization, cause, candidate, person, product, or opinion. Information and resources not directly provided by WWB2000 are used solely at the discretion of the individual and WWB2000 and The Markle Foundation make no representation or guarantee about their reliability, accuracy, or authenticity.