Martin Van’t Foort – Siouxland Modern Media Committee

08Feb 2025 by Martin Van't Foort

Will You Read It On Reddit?

Apps

Each time you seek advice or more information on a specific topic, where do you tend to go? Do you look for someone who knows more about it than you and start asking questions? Do you grab your phone and quickly Google it? Do you go to the library for books on the subject and read? Perhaps you use the website Reddit along with the other seventy three million daily users, to find out more about a specific topic? With a name derived from the term ‘read it’, Reddit strives to be a thorough source of information for its users who come to “read all about it” on their site. The site is broken down into groups termed ‘subreddits’, considered to be different ‘communities’, but essentially being different topics of…

07Jan 2025 by Martin Van't Foort

U.S. Surgeon General Warning

Devices, Hazards

It is no surprise that social media is addictive. If a person observes others around them, you will notice many who are scrolling through social media. Instagram, YouTube shorts, TikTok and other like platforms are the most popular. The human brain is a very intricate organ with much of its growth and development happening from birth until approximately 20 years old. With the explosion of social media over the past decade, there are some alarming trends, especially in children who are using social media excessively. The U.S. surgeon general has released an executive summary, Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory (executive Summary), which highlights the negative consequences of too much social media use within our younger population along with recommendations on how to deal with…

06Sep 2023 by Martin Van't Foort

The Great Smartphone Debate

Cell Phones

When is it a good time to let your child have a smartphone? When do you know if your child is ready? What are good rules to enforce? Is it a want or a need? https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/the-great-smartphone-debate/ Please note, that although we have found valuable information from an external web page for our blog post, we do not endorse all information, religious views and opinions posted on these third-party websites.

03Apr 2023 by Martin Van't Foort

NetSmartz

Editorials, Filters, Guidelines, Hazards

NetSmartz is the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) online safety education program. Their goal is to help children become more aware of the potential dangers that surround them when they are online. NetSmartz provides numerous resources that parents and educators may use to help educate their children/students. Topics for elementary aged children include telling parents/guardians if something makes them feel uncomfortable online, saying “no” if somebody asks them to do something inappropriate, following rules set by parents and teachers, and many other things as well. Topics for high school students include stories from victims of sexting/sextortion, distinguishing real vs. fake profiles and messages, avoiding posting inappropriate things online or via texting, not saying something online that you would not say in person, and other things of that…

06Mar 2023 by Martin Van't Foort

Best Phones for Kids: The Ultimate Guide

Filters

Click Here: https://protectyoungeyes.com/best-phones-for-kids-ultimate-guide/ As we struggle to manage modern media in our homes, a common question is “when should my children first get a smartphone?” Our Synodical Modern Media Guidelines suggest that children shouldn’t receive a smartphone before age 16. But are there options to provide a phone to kids before this age? Thankfully, just in the last few years, several companies have developed devices that look like smartphones and in some ways perform like smartphones, all while keeping the more serious dangers of smartphones out of our children’s hands. Protect Young Eyes has put together an excellent guide to the options. We highly recommend you consider these alternatives rather than smartphones for your pre-teen and teenage children. *Please note, that although we have found valuable information from an external…

12Sep 2022 by Martin Van't Foort

Bark App Review

Apps, Cell Phones, Devices, Filters, Hazards

Get details about your child’s digital activities. Bark is able to monitor content 24/7, limit access to inappropriate and distracting material, set healthy boundaries with custom screen time limits and location updates. Learn more about this filter by clicking on this link: https://www.safewise.com/blog/bark-parental-control-app-review/ *Please note, that although we have found valuable information from an external web page for our blog post, we do not endorse all information, religious views and opinions posted on these third-party websites.

02May 2022 by Martin Van't Foort

Google Family Link

Apps, Cell Phones, Devices, Guidelines, Resources

Google Family Link is an app used to regulate usage of a child’s phone. Google Family Link’s purpose is to “help your family create healthy digital habits.” Key features of Family Link: It lets you view your child’s phone activity; which apps they’re using, and how much time they’re spending on each app.Whitelist for websites. Start by approving a website like Google for search results and phone numbers. If your child requests to visit a website, the parent must Approve or Decline before the child can access that website.You can decide if they can download apps from the App Store, and if they’re allowed to make in-app purchases.You can set limits on the amount of Screen Time they’re allowed to have each day. You can also set a bedtime for…

07Mar 2022 by Martin Van't Foort

Oculus Quest 2 Review

Devices, Gaming, Hazards, Reviews

According to the webpage, oculus.com/quest-2/, Oculus Quest 2 is “an all-in-one headset filled with hundreds of unique experiences.” These experiences include playing games, doing a virtual tour of places around the world, and working out. It appears the main focus is to get teens and young adults to play games and “lose track of time” (also cited on their webpage). To “lose track of time” is a very dangerous reality many gamers face. Time is a God-given gift that He instructs us to use to seek Him. Ephesians 5:16 speaks about “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” This tells us that we must be wise about how we spend our time. In regards to the gaming aspect and being “immersed” in a virtual reality, Oculus Quest 2 can…

02Nov 2021 by Martin Van't Foort

Online Security & Privacy

Privacy

In an age of eroding online privacy, many people are looking for secure alternatives to Google and Microsoft and other data collecting providers for internet browsers, search engines and many other online activities. Restoreprivacy.com is an independent website with no advertising or paid content that publishes reviews and guides with the mission “to give you all the information and tools you need to restore your online privacy, secure your electronic devices, and stay safe online. “ PRIVATE SEARCH ENGINES You should be aware that most of the big search engines today serve as data collection tools for advertising companies which collect your private data and use it to make money with targeted ads. Restoreprivacy.com reviews and gives suggestions for using many different search engines such as DuckDuckGo, Swisscows, Metagear, Searx,…

05Oct 2021 by Martin Van't Foort

Whole House Filtering

Cell Phones, Devices, Filters, Privacy

Click here: Routers | First NRC Modern Media Committee *Please note, that although we have found valuable information from an external web page for our blog post, we do not endorse all information, religious views and opinions posted on these third-party websites.

Author: Martin Van't Foort