What’s New? – Siouxland Modern Media Committee

06Nov 2025 by nrcmmc

Generative AI

Chatbot News, Guidelines, Hazards, Reviews

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that creates new content–such as text, images, code, music, and videos–based on patterns it has learned from existing data. One of the most common generative AI tools is ChatGPT. To use ChatGPT, simply ask a question or type a prompt, and it will produce a response. If the response is not satisfactory, you can continue prompting it until it meets your needs. Some people have even replaced their traditional search engines with generative AI. Perhaps you are wondering what the usefulness of generative AI is. The following are a few examples of “everyday” generative AI use: Writing aid: Many people use the writing ability of AI to assist with something they have created or use it to actually create an essay, blog…

11Oct 2025 by nrcmmc

Book Review- The Anxious Generation

Resources, Reviews

Book Review: “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist and author of acclaimed works like “The Coddling of the American Mind”, returns with “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness”. In this book, Haidt tackles one of the most urgent questions of our time: Why are rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges skyrocketing among young people? Haidt’s analysis is both sharply secular in its methodology and, quite surprisingly, convergent with the views of some of today’s most vocal conservative Christian commentators—particularly when it comes to recommendations. A Rigorous, Secular Analysis Haidt takes care to ground his arguments in comprehensive psychological research, demographic analysis, and a synthesis of national data. He steers away from religious or…

16Sep 2025 by nrcmmc

Distracted Parenting

Cell Phones, Devices

The Impact of Distracted Parenting: How Cell Phones Affect Our Relationship with Children In today’s fast-paced world, it’s hard to imagine a time when cell phones didn’t dominate our daily lives. While these devices have brought about countless conveniences, they’ve also introduced significant challenges, particularly for parents. The phenomenon of “distracted parenting” where caregivers prioritize digital interactions over face-to-face engagement has become a growing concern. The Rise of Distraction: Cell Phones and Parenting The arrival of smartphones brought a new wave of connectivity and entertainment. While they offer many benefits; their widespread use has led to an increasing phenomenon: distracted parenting. Whether scrolling through social media, responding to work emails, or playing games; many parents today find themselves regularly distracted by their phones, often during critical moments of family time.…

04Aug 2025 by nrcmmc

OnlyFans

Hazards, Pornography, Reviews

A sports website? Spoiler alert - it’s not. And it’s really unsafe for you and your family. OnlyFans is a website where users can upload content and offer it to the public for a set price. While some of the content is good, 98% of it is sexual in nature. The world today is hypersexual; therefore it is easy to offer sexual content at a premium price, due to the appetite for the general public to view that type of content. In some cases, the uploader can be persons we are familiar with; a friend, coworker, or even a relative. Persons uploading content to OnlyFans are often using OnlyFans content as a source for supplemental income. Some uploaders are making large amounts of money from the content they upload. OnlyFans…

14May 2025 by Martin Van't Foort

5 News Sources with a Biblical Worldview

news, Resources

In today’s diverse media landscape, many people seek news and analysis that reflects their values. While sources like Fox News, Daily Wire, and Blaze Media offer conservative views, none of these media outlets produce their content from a Biblical perspective, and unfortunately, their advertising and “click-bait” articles can be quite unbiblical. For those looking to stay informed while staying grounded in a biblical worldview, several news organizations aim to blend journalistic integrity with Christian principles. Below are five notable Christian news sources that provide reporting, commentary, and analysis through a faith-based lens. That said, none of these sources will exactly line up with our Netherlands Reformed doctrinal perspectives, so each of them should be used with discretion. 1. The Christian Post Website: https://www.christianpost.com The Christian Post is one of the…

07Apr 2025 by Martin Van't Foort

Topic: Accountability – what and why? Different ways to hold oneself accountable with modern media usage

Cell Phones, Devices, Filters, Guidelines, Resources

For the five years since they had been married, T & R both worked full time jobs. Each enjoyed their job; their work ethic helped them both to excel in their company. They normally spent their evenings doing things together or with friends. They stayed busy enough with their house, jobs, and social life that each one’s use of their phones stayed limited. Even when they were on their phones, they were together, and one would tease the other to ‘be present’ or ‘tell your boy/girlfriend you’re with your wife/husband right now’. There was an understanding between them that they weren’t perfect with it, but together they could hold each other accountable on their devices. It was a system that worked well - openness and honesty with their phone usage…

04Mar 2025 by Martin Van't Foort

Review of Discord

Apps, Hazards, Resources, Reviews

Discord is a popular platform for voice, video, and text communication. Originally used by gamers as a way to communicate between different gaming platforms, the app is increasingly being used by people from various communities, including for educational purposes, hobbies, and professional groups - some companies are using it to replace Zoom. On Discord, users can create or join servers, communicate in real-time, and share content with other users of common interests. Besides posting to certain servers where everybody can see, users can privately message each other. Discord has several dangerous aspects which should be considered for user safety: Safety of young users - Protect Young Eyes and Bark emphasize that while Discord offers privacy settings, it can still present risks for young users. Since Discord allows people to create…

04Mar 2025 by Martin Van't Foort

Why Every Parent Should Watch the Gridshock Documentary

Events, Hazards

Why Every Parent Should Watch the Gridshock Documentary In a world where digital technology connects us all, there is a hidden crisis threatening the safety of our children—human trafficking. The documentary Gridshock exposes the dark reality of human trafficking in America, shedding light on how this criminal industry thrives in plain sight. For parents, understanding the risks and signs is crucial to protecting their children. This powerful film is not just an exposé—it is a call to action. What is Gridshock? Gridshock is an investigative documentary that uncovers the human trafficking epidemic in the United States, focusing on the demand-driven market. The film brings forward survivors' voices, law enforcement insights, and expert analysis to show how sex trafficking continues to plague communities across the nation. Through heartbreaking stories and shocking…

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…