IRVINE

Irvine Unified School District officials are less worried about a millennial computer blackout than the potential for cyberspace abuse.

So Board of Education members last week tentatively amended the district’s guidelines for electronic mail and Internet use.

Trustees first adopted policies on computer use in March 1997. The amendments prohibit: sexually, racially or otherwise offensive e-mail messages; the use of e-mail for advertising or solicitation; the downloading and installing of unauthorized software on school computers; the use of unauthorized fee-based services on the Internet; the sharing of passwords and unauthorized password protection of files; and support for ballot measures and political candidates without board approval.