Faith Filled Family Magazine November 2016 | Page 27

– parents should be in charge of
technology they and their children use, at home and away from
home. Every advancement, for
example, the driverless car, can
be used for society’s good or if
we can allow them harm us all.

‘Parent Chat’ and filtering technology like ‘Circle’ can help us to
implement a safer internet environment.

more about how to take control
of technology:
Matt McKee: www.mattmckee.
me/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattThank you Matt for giving your mckee
time and sharing your heart with Facebook www.facebook.com/
our readers. I am sure he would mckeelive
Parents who will read this inter- welcome your prayers for this in- ‘Parent Chat’: www.parentchat.
view, have bought your book or valuable ministry. Also thanks to tv
the Circle box, are already inter- Lori Lenz-Heiselman of Biscuit ‘Parent Chat’ book available on
ested and or persuaded there is Media-Group for arranging the request
something they can do to resolve interview.
these complex issues. But how
‘Circle’:
www.meetcircle.
do concerned groups reach the Comment: Owners of websites com
many parents or guardians who and search engines have to find Facebook:www.facebook.com/
struggle to engage? This scenar- a balance between free-speech meetcircle
io could be worse for those who and the violations of our free- Twitter:
http://twitter.com/
are poorly educated or where dom; but online censorship is a meetcircle
English is a second language dangerous line to cross. So it is
as they may not be aware of the up to us to ensure our children Matt also mentioned another
dangers their children are being are protected from hate speech, resource to help keep your chilsubjected to whilst they are out grooming, sexting, bullying, and dren safe online: www.bark.us
working all the hours they can.
the easy access to pornography
and abuse of our personal data.
The following is a tragic example Which is why we the buyers and
of what happens when we leave users have to say ‘no’ to what
our children to solve problems we know is harmful and basicalon their own. A young troubled ly evil. Temptation has always
girl went on to a ‘How to com- been there to make us turn away
mit suicide’ site, and carried out from the love and grace of God,
the instructions she found there. we cannot blame technology for
Who is to blame? The owner our personal choices. I recomof the search engine, the sick mend parents read ‘Parent Chat’
man who put up the site, the girl and do some research online
driven to kill herself, the parents about how you can protect your
for not seeing the need in their children and re-educate your
daughter, or society for putting selves about this vital subject.
so much pressure on our children to conform?
Clive McLaren is a freelance
journalist and writer, he lives
This is where the local commu- near Liverpool in the UK with his
nity, schools and especially the wife, they have five grown up
local church can bridge this gap children. Contact: babblemac@
in educating parents and young hotmail.com
people about the potential harm
of addiction to technology and Matt is on Facebook and similar
the apps they use. The church apps to support parents in adoptcan do so much more to bring ing a healthier use of technology.
an enlightened awareness and
how to prevent such tragedies Web and Social Media to learn