Kids + Technology Recap and Resources for Families
In May, Restored hosted a Table Talk event about Kids + Technology. It took me over a year to find an appropriate speaker for this event because I knew this topic was an important one, and I couldn’t give the stage to just anyone.
Enter Jess Nye. Wowzer, y’all. She was equal parts fun, informative and…well, terrifying. To be honest, it was the single heaviest topic Restored has ever tackled, and I was literally squirming in my seat at some of the content.
It was uncomfortable. It was compelling. It was tough to process. But, it was necessary.
That’s probably why it’s taken me so long to draft this recap post. I just can’t wrap my head around people wanting to intentionally harm kids and steal their innocence. I know the Biblical reasoning – sin, death, satan – but it’s still agonizing to wade through the deep waters of depravity, and my respect for our officers of the law grows daily.
In all honesty, I have to tell you that there was way too much great content to share in one post. So, as a starting point, I want to direct you to my recent WRAL post that contains some high-level takeaways along with a few helpful resources.
If you’re interested in more of the nitty gritty, here are a few additional nuggets, but brace yourself, because some points will make your skin crawl.
There has been a huge increase self-produced child porn. That means adults are grooming kids online to earn their trust and coaxing them into sharing inappropriate images…even though kids may have no clue that they’re doing something inappropriate.
One thing Jess said that stuck with me is, “I’ve never met a predator that children didn’t love.” Think about that. They’re not dirty, white van-driving, lollipop givers. They’re personable, likable, and good at earning the trust of a child. It’s sick, I know. Which is why we HAVE to be involved as parents - in their real lives, and in their online lives, too.
A couple of stats of interest:
82% of predators used social media to gain information about their prey.
45% of kids have more than one app that collects information.
Things we need to lovingly communicate to our kids:
SnapChat is no bueno.
Never respond to phone numbers or screen names you do not know personally.
When creating usernames, do not include personal information (name, address, dog name, birthday, etc.).
Turn on privacy settings on all apps and devices. (Turn off add to photo map feature.)
Watch out for hashtags because they can make even private posts public.
Fair warning: Xbox games and apps like Snapchat and Roblox have chat features that create easy communication with kids, and there’s a lot of targeting that takes place within those spaces. When players don’t perform well, routers get flooded because predators are trying to take advantage of feelings of failure and inadequacy. Parents can block who their child hears.
It’s unreasonable to completely cut out internet access - it’s the way of the world, so lean into this great quote from Jess: “It’s important to instill caution without instilling fear.”
It’s also important to be involved by knowing passwords, deleting friends they don’t know in real life, checking texts and not allowing phones or computers in bedrooms, but the most important thing you can do for your kid is to engage in open communication with them. Let them know you’re responsible for oversight, and remind them that you’re their ally, especially if they ever come across something inappropriate.
If you have a concern you need to report, you can do that here or here. Consider equipping your kids with these sites also in case they’d like to report something themselves.
Parenting is never easy, y’all. Toss in video games, internet-based homework and iPhones, and it just seems more difficult than ever. I’m so thankful for this community of women that can encourage, support and disciple as we parent together.
Knowing this is an area where there can be lots of overwhelm, we’ve compiled some FBI resources along with others that I’m aware of in an easy-to-reference guide.
If you’re already a member of our email list, that guide will be pushed out to you in our next newsletter. If you’re not yet receiving our emails, you’ll receive the guide when you subscribe. The guide includes specific statistics, resources and links, and verses to pray over your family as we raise kids in an increasingly digital world.