07Mar 2022 by Martin Van't Foort
Oculus Quest 2 Review

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…
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07Feb 2022 by nrcmmc
Social Media and Its Influence

Social Media and Its Influence

Hazards
https://heisfaithful.github.io/culture/2021/09/21/socialmedia.html *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.
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06Dec 2021 by nrcmmc
Tinder App Review

Tinder App Review

Cell Phones, Devices, Hazards, Reviews
Tinder is an online dating app used by 7.8 million people in the United States alone, making it the most popular dating app in the US.  Of that, 75% are male, 24 % are female, and 30% are married.  With those statistics, one can see where problems lie in using an online dating app, which, as correctly defined on the Tinder website is a “popular app for meeting people” and “the possibility of forming connections that could lead to more”, or as most users know it as a “hook-up” app. Here is a basic rundown of how Tinder works for a person.  Once a user (supposed to be an 18 year age requirement) sets up their profile, Tinder can “match” them with other users.  From there, the user ‘swipes right’…
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06Jul 2020 by nrcmmc
7 Tactics of Online Predators

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…
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08Jun 2020 by nrcmmc
The Other Pandemic has Exploded

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…
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06May 2020 by nrcmmc
How Much is TOO MUCH Sharing?

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…
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06May 2020 by nrcmmc
Vault Apps – Are They Hiding Something?

Vault Apps – Are They Hiding Something?

Apps, Reviews
VAULT APPS - Are They Hiding Something? At first glance one sees a calculator and music app--normal  apps found on a cell phone, right? However, this is an easy way to hide pictures and videos from your typical photo gallery. They are also used to hide chats, searches,downloads within various apps. With a quick Google search, there are You-Tube videos and articles suggesting the best apps available to conceal photos or other information on your cell phone. While some articles boast of the importance of hiding your personal information, credit card information, media files under these vault apps (also called ghost or disguised apps), simple safety settings on your cell phone can do the same.  The most common use for these is to hide inappropriate cell phone pictures/videos or shared…
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09Dec 2019 by nrcmmc
Instagram: The Rinsta’s and the Finsta’s

Instagram: The Rinsta’s and the Finsta’s

Apps, Reviews
The Rinsta’s and the Finsta’s   As harmless as the app called ‘Instagram’ seems on the surface - a photo and video editing platform - many dark areas loom around any corner. When not set up with proper privacy settings, the user needs to be extra vigilant to protect their eyes from the content that can pop up within a few clicks or swipes.  Despite the creator’s efforts to keep inappropriate content out of it’s app, and safe for “13+” to use, images inappropriate for any age of eyes can still be found. Users are allowed to ‘Block’, ‘Report’, and ‘Unfollow’ accounts that they are not interested in or believe are not appropriate. In its simplest form the app is not harmful, though the psychological effects of any social media…
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