resources – Siouxland Modern Media Committee

31Jul 2026 by nrcmmc

Top apps of 2026

Wonder what your teen has been looking at on their phone lately? He/she could be checking out one of these top apps that are getting attention so far this year. Top trending apps in 2026 are no surprise and not unknown to any parent no matter what generation you hail from, we’ve all heard them mentioned even if we don’t use them ourselves. YouTube: not surprisingly, topping the list as the most used app among teens yet. From videos for entertainment to education, a wide array of topics are covered in the long and ‘shorts’ form. TikTok: while YouTube may be the most used app, TikTok is the app stealing the most time from teens today. The endless scroll and constant entertaining video stream is tough to break away from,…

20Jul 2026 by Martin Van't Foort

Google Family Link: A user-friendly way to control devices in the home.

Apps, Devices, Filters, Guidelines

Controlling children’s devices has become a challenge in almost all homes. Land lines have become obsolete, making it difficult for parents to get ahold of children who are at home alone, unless parents give their children a device. Children are often given a cell phone or smart watch early in their lives, to allow mom or dad to reach their children more easily. With giving children devices, parents must also give rules and guidelines for those devices. It is a challenge for parents to hold their children accountable, and allow parents to control/monitor what their children have access to on their devices with already busy lives we lead. Google Family Link (GFL) steps in as a good option to help parents in this vital task. Benefits: Monitor screen time: with…

11Mar 2026 by nrcmmc

Laptops in Education

Devices, Guidelines, Hazards, Reviews

A changing environment Over the past decade, laptops and tablets have become a mainstay in education. Many schools now issue devices to students as early as junior high—and sometimes even upper elementary—while traditional textbooks are used less frequently. Class assignments, research, collaboration, and even testing increasingly take place on screens rather than on paper. With the recent surge in artificial intelligence tools, students are beginning to rely on laptops not only to complete required homework, but also as a primary resource for acquiring information about the subject they are studying. A student can quickly type a topic into a search engine—often enhanced by AI—and within seconds have a large amount of information displayed in front of them. This makes completing assignments easier and gives students rapid access to information that…

15Jan 2026 by Martin Van't Foort

Roblox

Apps, Cell Phones, Devices, Gaming, Hazards

”Allowing your child to have screen time is the norm in today’s age. Letting them play an online game that appears to be geared toward children may seem safe. Allowing a game where players interact with each other while sharing unique experiences seems innocent enough, right? But what if some of the other players they were chatting with were Satanic cult members?Roblox was specifically mentioned in the “grooming handbook” of the Satanic cult, called 764, as a place to find underage victims. The 20,000-30,000 members of this cult use sextortion to get what they want from their victims. They gain the children’s trust by “innocently” chatting while playing Roblox, eventually getting them to share explicit photos, and then threaten to share those photos if the children don’t do what the…

10Dec 2025 by nrcmmc

Child-friendly AI?

Apps, Devices, Filters, Privacy, Resources, Reviews

Edge, Chrome, Firefox, DuckDuckGo, Safari, AngelQ. These could be interesting names for models of cars, but actually these are all variations of web browsers. What is the difference between each of these options? More importantly, which one should you pick for your family to use? The owners of big technology sites won’t even put their own children on their site, states co-founder of AngelQ, Josh Thurman. Their browser, however, was created FOR kids to use - safely. AngelQ was created by Josh Thurman and Tim Estes in May 2025 as a safe alternative for families to give their children internet access without as much risk of finding age-inappropriate content. The AngelQ app uses the power of AI to make searches productive and fun, without accidentally clicking onto a site with…

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…

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…

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