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Protecting Your Family in the Internet Age. 6/30/13. Agenda. Gatekeepers Threats facing our kids Addressing those threats Table exercise What about us?. Why me?. Information junkie Technology professional Experience in the trenches Remember life before the internet
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Agenda • Gatekeepers • Threats facing our kids • Addressing those threats • Table exercise • What about us?
Why me? • Information junkie • Technology professional • Experience in the trenches • Remember life before the internet • Less aware of the latest threats than you are
Gatekeepers • Duty to protect, act like men • 1 Cor. 16:13 • Spiritual battle requires spiritual tools • Eph. 6:12-15 • Duty not to be mastered by technology • 1 Cor. 6:12 • Spirit-filled power for self-control • Gal 5:22 • Call to remove temptations where possible • Matt. 18:7-9
What are the threats? • Affluent lifestyle of limitless devices and toys • Pornography exposure • Limitless networks of other users and their content • Stalkers/pedophiles/identity theft • Cyber bullying • Organizations/companies pushing limits & opposing access/content restrictions
Why are the threats worse today? • Tendencies of generation iY (Elmore via Ibsen) • Values tend to be relativistic • Technology & devices essentially an appendage • Highly tolerant of others • Generally narcissistic (all about me and what’s in it for me) • Strong sense of entitlement • Expects to be entertained at all times • Highly impatient with others and not really interested in what the other thinks or feels – low EQ • Shameless: “Every thought or emotion I have is worthy of being broadcast, including sexting”
What are the impacts on our kids? • Gen iY tendencies reinforced & exploited • Potential physical threats • Increasingly risky online behavior • Guilt & shame, downward spiral, esp. for porn • Isolation & depression • Stimulus addiction (Boers 103 & 104) • Increase in narcissistic behaviors • Rudeness and incivility
Where are they found? • Websites • Phone apps • TV (esp. as tied to internet)
How are they accessed? • Via any connected device • iAnything • PCs • Smart phones + any phone with web access • Video console games (Wii, Xbox) • eReaders (Kindle, Nook, iPad) • MP3 players
Facebook • Still popular, but waning with kids • Easy to access inappropriate content • Many games accessed via FB are inappropriate
Twitter • Replacing FB with kids • Popular because most parents aren’t there • Tend to share more personal details about themselves • Issue: most accounts are public
Instagram • Social networking service for sharing photos & videos • By default, anyone can view uploaded photos • Critical to use privacy settings and monitor usage • Growing usage by predators • Many teens post seeking “likes,” but can also draw ugly comments/bullying
Tumblr • Social networking site • Little to no content filtering or oversight • More content than FB, so more time spent on site
Snapchat • Users send videos, photos, text, etc. to a list of contacts • Photos are deleted from recipient’s device after ~ 10 seconds • Tends to promote taking inappropriate videos and photos
Kik • Free IM app for all phones • Users can send text messages and photos to other Kik users and do group chats • New contacts added via FB, Twitter, etc. • No parental controls, privacy at risk • Tip: advise kids not to share Kik username on public social networks and forums
What are our defenses? • Prayer • Delay entry/exposure • Prevent usage in isolated areas • Filters, monitoring software • Parental settings on devices, incl. purchases • Usage rules, home and away • Alignment with friends’ parents • Have a policy on user IDs & passwords
Offensive (relational) weapons • Open, ongoing communication with kids • Train them to find identity in Christ • Teach them discernment • Play games and watch movies with them • Discuss and review a temptation strategy • Provide alternatives to media • Get involved in what they’re interested in • Stay informed about new technology • Create an account in the social media your kids use and follow them
Table Exercise • Which threat is most daunting to you, and what have you done about it?
What about us? • What are we modeling? • Worshipping at the altar of convenience • Do we own the devices, or do they own us? (Boers 19) • Distractedness vs. focus • 24x7x365 access to work--& work to us
What do we need to change? • No “multitasking” – be all there • No media at meals • Offline after 8:00 p.m. • Consider removing the phone apps that distract you most • Take technology fasts or Sabbaths • Turn off some phone alerts • Tether the phone when you get home • Model and teach polite behavior
Resources • http://growingleaders.com/ - Tim Elmore site • http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com – many useful articles, run by Mary Kay Hoal • http://internetsafety.com – maker of SafeEyes parental control software • http://sociallyactive.com/ - service for monitoring kids’ social network activity • Boer, Arthur. Living Into Focus: Choosing What Matters in an Age of Distractions.