Internet Safety

I chose to read an article by Gordon B. Hinckley entitled, “Opposing Evil” as my fourth article. It was published in the November 1975 Ensign, which surprised me because he spoke about the dangers of the media long before they had escalated to the dangers we face today. If such counsel was relevant in 1975, it must be even more applicable today with so many new forms of technology available. A common theme that I found in the readings was that technology and the media can be used for both good and evil. It is incorrect to say that the media is completely bad, but as one article pointed out, our greatest challenge is to determine the good from the bad. As I read these articles and watched the videos, I saved the video links to my delicious account and I realized how important it is to teach children about internet safety when I am a teacher and a parent. I will not be so naive to think that kids can figure it out for themselves, and I will educate them and monitor them because I want to protect them from online predators and other dangers of the internet and media. I can also use what I have learned to have a positive influence on friends and family by sharing what I have learned and encouraging them to use safe internet practices, as well. By making my own good media choices, I can also be an example to these people.

I chose to teach my mom about some of the things I learned about internet safety. I thought the information would be relevant and useful to her since I have two high-school age brothers living at home. The discussion went very well, and it actually lasted longer than I expected because we found that we had so much to discuss about the topic. Her perspective was really interesting because she grew up before the internet and all of the good and bad that came with it. We really are raising a different generation of kids, so it is important for parents and teachers of the "older generation" to be up to date on the realities that these kids face.