OPINION:
In a rare display of bipartisan outrage, senators confronted several big tech CEOs on Wednesday concerning the role they’re playing in the online abuse and exploitation of children.
More than a decade into this grand and dangerous technological experiment, social media sites and apps remain the wild and untamed west of culture. More than 4 billion people use digital technology – and six of the most popular sites have more than a billion people posting and scrolling regularly.
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The sheer volume and speed of the technology poses an especially enormous challenge to parents – and an incalculable risk to children, many of whom are getting swept up in its toxic fervor. Allowing and expecting children of a certain age to manage and navigate social media sites is the equivalent of giving immature and unlicensed youngsters the keys to the car on a snowy night with icy roads.
In an especially blunt exchange, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) admonished Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. “You and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands, you have a product that’s killing people,” he told him.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) lamented the known abuse children have suffered on all the popular sites.
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“Is our technology greater than that humanity?” he asked. “I think that is a fundamental question. What I would add to it is: are our politics greater than technology?”
In a dramatic moment, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg stood up, turned to those in the audience – many of whom were from families whose children have been abused and exploited – and addressed them:
“I’m sorry for everything you’ve all gone through,” Mr. Zuckerberg said. “Nobody should have to go through what your families have suffered. This is why we have invested so much and are going to continue industry-leading efforts to make sure that no one has to go through the types of things your families have suffered.”
Such sentiment may be cold comfort for those whose lives have been turned upside down, and only time will tell whether Mark Zuckerberg’s commitment will be met.
There is bipartisan support for the “Kids Online Safety Act” – legislation designed to ultimately prevent, protect, and mitigate the damages of online social media sites.
Yet, parents always bear the heaviest burden when it comes to protecting children from the wicked and evil forces that lurk online. The easiest way to do it is to delay giving children smartphones as long as possible. We waited until our oldest, Trent, was 17. Troy was 15. There’s still the danger of them using other children’s phones, of course. But keeping them off of social media altogether is the best way to minimize risk.
SEE ALSO: ‘You have blood on your hands’: Senators rage at social media CEOs
For Christian parents, though, it should go without saying that we should be teaching our children to imitate Christ in all their behavior (Ephesians 5:1). Our ultimate goal isn’t to teach our kids to not post imprudent things online. We want them to be Christ-followers and to be wise to the wickedness of the world. We want them to embrace what is right and pure and lovely (Philippians 4:8).
But for so many of us, the road to a sincere, fruit-producing faith can be filled with potholes, peer pressure and bad judgment calls. And because a mistake made online has the tendency to be amplified, what might have been once handled privately is now broadcast to a watching world.
What’s a parent to do? Our counselors suggest a three-point approach.
First, teach your children the value of a good reputation. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches” – and that’s especially true in this digital age.
Second, be involved in your child’s Internet use. As parents, we need to repeatedly talk with our children about online dangers and instill in them a sense of awareness that there can be serious consequences to what they post online.
We should also go beyond issuing warnings, though. Parents should set common-sense boundaries around online time. Consider installing filters that will block objectionable content. Begin talking at an early age about discernment. Finally, moms and dads need to know what social networks their kids are a part of. You might even want to make knowing their password, especially in the case of a younger teen, a requirement for them to use social media.
Third, pray constantly for your children’s spiritual walk. As I alluded to earlier, our children’s outward expressions are a reflection of their hearts. The only way they can live out the fruit of the Spirit – love, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control, and so on – will be if they’re actively walking with Jesus Christ.
While parents can influence and encourage their children’s walk, in the end, we can’t live out their faith for them. That’s why it’s so important we constantly pray for our children and rely on God’s grace.
And yes, you can tweet that.
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Jim Daly is president of Focus on the Family and host of its daily radio broadcast, heard by more than 6 million listeners a week on nearly 2,000 radio stations across the U.S. He also hosts the podcast ReFocus with Jim Daly.
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