Hazards – Page 4 – Siouxland Modern Media Committee

05Oct 2020 by nrcmmc

Sexual Abuse after Viewing Porn

The rate of children sexually abusing other children has sharply increased over the past few years and can be attributed to our society’s consumption of pornography. We desperately need to deal with the pornography plague in our families, churches, schools, and communities. “I have said this before, and I will say it again: If we as a culture do not address the pornography problem, it will destroy us. The violent sexual ideology it is teaching to an entire generation is transforming the way millions of people see sex, relationships, and even each other. Pornography is ruining marriages, ruining families, and ruining lives. It is long past time that we woke up and realized that we simply have no choice: We must deal with this, because it is everywhere.” Jonathon van…

08Sep 2020 by nrcmmc

Artificial Intelligience

Hazards, Privacy

If you've ever said "Hey Google (or Siri or Alexa)", and gotten a response, you've used Artificial Intelligence, or AI. Were you even aware of it?AI has been around for many years. It’s been at the center of science fiction stories, and theorized about by researchers for decades. But the computing power of the past few decades and the prevalence of the Internet has allowed many AI advancements that are now part of our everyday lives.Besides the Personal Assistants already mentioned, some other products that use AI include Pandora’s music service, Nest learning thermostat and other Smart Home technologies, automatic flying drones, self-driving cars, and emails that auto-fill as you type. (learn more)AI can also help doctors diagnose diseases, by combining information from other doctors around the world and making…

06Jul 2020 by nrcmmc

7 Tactics of Online Predators

Hazards

With an increased amount of time being spent on the internet during the time of quarantine - whether for homeschool or homework, increased opportunities for online predators to trap our children arise. We may believe that we are there monitoring our children and seeing what they are doing every moment, but we must be honest with ourselves. Our children have access to computers and media, even when we are not watching. They become more comfortable using the devices because of the necessity it became during homeschooling. As a result, we may see their curiosity rise and their interaction with the internet increase also. Our resources of online learning sky-rocketed during ‘stay home’ orders, and we are thankful for the resource that the internet became in helping our children to continue…

08Jun 2020 by nrcmmc

The Other Pandemic has Exploded

Hazards

The Modern Media Committee of Lethbridge recently posted a disturbing article about the increase use of pornography in relation to the COVID-19 epidemic. On March 13, a popular porn site announced they were giving users in Italy free access with subscriber privileges to their content. Then they did the same with France and Spain. Italy’s porn downloads shot up 57%, France’s 38%, and Spain’s 61%. Their traffic from Europe, Canada, and the US have steadily climbed this month.On March 17 this same site announced that worldwide porn downloads were up 26.4%. In just one month. To put this in perspective, their 2019 Year in Review revealed that the site was visited 42 billion times in 2019—that’s 115 million searches a day. Remember, this is from just one site; there are thousands…

06May 2020 by nrcmmc

How Much is TOO MUCH Sharing?

Apps, Guidelines, Hazards

OVERSHARING?Anna updated her status:“Looking for ideas on what to do this weekend while my parents are out of town, input?”Sam shared a picture:“Her curls bounce all over as she’s walking! She is just so cute taking her first steps, we’re so proud!”Anita checked in at ‘Trampoline Park Craze’“This is one 7 year old birthday party my daughter and I will never forget! Let’s JUMP!”Sharing our activities, families, and looking for advice are just a few things that we naturally do as a society these days. It’s our way of connecting with the world and being social with each other. Physically being with our family members and friends isn’t always possible, so it is nice to have the resource of technology to share these updates and receive quick feedback.Until the sharing…

06May 2020 by nrcmmc

Phishing – Don’t take the Bait!

Guidelines, Hazards, Tutorials

What is phishing? Phishing is a cyber attack that uses disguised email as a weapon. The goal is to trick the email recipient into believing that the message is something they want or need — a request from their bank, for instance, or a note from someone in their company — and to click a link or download an attachment. Learn about the purpose behind phishing attempts and how to identify them to avoid getting scammed. Purpose of phishing If there's a common denominator among phishing attacks, it's the disguise. The attackers spoof their email address so it looks like it's coming from someone else, set up fake websites that look like ones the victim trusts, and use foreign character sets to disguise URLs. Phishing attempts may be aimed at…

06Apr 2020 by nrcmmc

Social Media Time Limits

Apps, Hazards, Tutorials

"I can't believe how much time I waste on Facebook," a friend told me. "I really should just get rid of it." My friend isn't alone. Plenty of people feel they get little value out of social media, and yet they continue to use it more than they would like, often to the detriment of their productivity and their mental and spiritual well-being. Facebook isn't the only offender. People throw their hands up at Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and other apps and websites all the time. Still, not everyone wants to quit social media for good. If you're not willing to quit cold turkey, you can limit the amount of time you spend on social media per day. For example: "I'll spend no more than 10 minutes per day on Facebook," or…

06Apr 2020 by nrcmmc

Socializing Online

Apps, Hazards

Chatting with a few friends on Messenger or What’s App isn’t a harmless way to pass the time. Right? Look at that question from another perspective: Meeting with other friends at one of their homes for a few hours to talk isn’t a harmless way to pass the time. Right? Does one of those questions strike a chord with you more than the other? That could depend on your age. It could depend on what generation you were born in. It could also depend on how you were raised and what you learned as you grew up. As the generation of adults who grew up without the internet ages, the generation of children who grow up knowing nothing but a screen in the face ages as well. We see it…

10Feb 2020 by nrcmmc

“Sticks and Stones…”

Hazards

“Sticks and Stones…” We are most likely familiar with the phrase “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”. However, is this really true? For anyone who has been on the receiving end of bullying, or even a scathing reproach, know how deep words can cut and hurt the heart. Bullying in the ‘Sticks and Stones’ era, typically started when a child stepped onto the bus, endured during the school day, ended as the bus pulled back into the driveway. For today's teens, or older ones, bullying has broadened its aching wounds. It can now be a constant bullying via electronic devices that can be left on 24/7. Cyberbullying or cyberharassment is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means, also known as online…

04Nov 2019 by nrcmmc

Sexting

Guidelines, Hazards

A recent survey found that at least one in four teens receive sexually explicit texts and emails. At least one in seven teens send "sexts." Why do they do it? To show off, to entice someone, to show interest in someone, or to prove commitment. Or even as a joke. Teens' developing interest in sex, an impulse to experiment, and apps that make sexting easy -- and acceptable -- create an environment that some teens find irresistible. The attached article and video highlights these common causes of sexting and gives parents some advice on how to handle this potential problem with your children. At a minimum, the Modern Media committee recommends the following: Communicate with your children, early and often, about the sin and dangers of sexting Don’t allow apps…

Category: Hazards