Christian Parents and Social media

Christian Parents and Social Media – Dr Ayodele John  Alonge

Aims: To understand how parents can control their wards against the abuse of social media

Social media usage continues to grow across all age groups - this does not exclude Christian’s teenagers. Social media is a relatively the contemporary (modern-day)  phenomenon, which means many a times  parents just don’t really comprehend the digital landscape where teens hang out, live and relate.  That means it could be a Herculean task to understand how, as Christians, we can best use social media For parents, it means added worry to monitor and teach kids how to safely use social networks.

(C) LA Johnson/NPR

This can be difficult when parents aren't as familiar with them—and even the coolest parent may not be up to speed on the latest, most-popular network or platform. . It is more important for parents to understand the good, the bad and the ugly of social media – and how they can control their wards against the abuse of social media and teach them how to use it to Glorify God as the ECWA goal stipulates.  This lecture serves as a guide to Christian parents on the use of social media. We’ll take a look way the bible stands on the use of social media, socialization in biblical way,

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA?

Does the Bible say anything about the social media? 

Nothing?  Social media was still thousands of years away from being invented when the Bible was written. But as always, there’s a lot in the Bible that we can look at that helps us understand how Christians use social media – because ultimately, Social Media is just that: SOCIAL and MEDIA!. Social media is all about building friendship and communicating. Does the bible talk about social – friendship and relationship?  Does it speak about media, channel and mode of communication? If answer to those questions is yes, this means the Bible made provision for the Concept “Social media”

Social -Friendship in the Bible

Social media is first and foremost about growing relationships online. -the Bible definitely has a lot to say about what it means to be a good friend.  The Bible tells us that we should seek to build friendships that…  Are as close and strong as having a brother or sister (Proverbs 18:24) Are with wise people (Proverbs 13:20), Are sacrificial and loving (John 15:13) and Help us to grow (Proverbs 27:17)

Media in the Bible

When the Bible was written, they didn’t have social media – and they didn’t even really have newspapers! They had entertainment in the form of music and performances. So there is definitely a lot in the Bible about what sort of media Christians should engage with The Bible tells us that we should engage with media that

ENGAGE WITH MEDIA THAT:	WE WOULD DO WELL TO STEER CLEAR OF MEDIA THAT
Is true, honourable, pure, and lovely (Philippians 4:8
1)           Helps us to be thankful (Ephesians 5:19-20)	1)      Is deceptive (1 Corinthians 15:33)
2)           Exposes and rebukes sin (Ephesians 5:11)	2)      Is worthless (Psalm 101:3)
3)           Where possible, spreads the gospel (Isaiah 52:7)	3)      Is evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
4)           Is legal in our country and state (Romans 13:1-2)	4)      Is full of gossip or lies (James 3:5-11)
5)           And we would do well to steer clear of media that…	5)      Causes us to be discontent (1 John 2:15-17)
6)           Is deceptive (1 Corinthians 15:33)	6)      Causes us to sin (Mark 9:43-47)
7)           Is true, honourable, pure, and lovely (Philippians 4:8)	7)      Is unhelpful for us personally, even if it’s fine for others (1 Corinthians 6:12-13)
8)           Helps us to be thankful (Ephesians 5:19-20)	8)      Is sexually immoral (Ephesians 5:3)
9)           Exposes and rebukes sin (Ephesians 5:11)	9)      Tears others down (Ephesians 4:29)
10)        Where possible, spreads the gospel (Isaiah 52:7)	10)   And we would do well to steer clear of media that…
11)        Is legal in our country and state (Romans 13:1-2)	11)   Is deceptive (1 Corinthians 15:33)

Tips for monitoring your child's social media

Once you approve your child getting on social media—a complex decision every family has to make—here are some tips to help keep your child safe online:

1.      Have regular and open conversations with your children about using social media. This way they know it's important to follow some guidelines for their own safety.

2.      Teach them to not give out personal information—as this can put them at risk for fraud or theft, be kind to other students and friends, and let you know anytime anyone contacts them who they don't know, is older, or makes them feel uncomfortable.

3.      Don't let your child join social media until they meet the age requirements. This is not only to stay within the usage guidelines of each social media network (they can kick you off or permanently deactivate your account if you're found breaking their rules), but the guidelines are in place because of legislation to help protect children.

4.      Make sure your child has secure privacy settings. When setting up social media profiles and giving kids access to computers, tablets, or smartphones, it's important to keep the settings to ‘private' and not allow people access to too much information. Some networks default to public settings, so set it up with the customized settings if needed.

5.      You can use products or services to monitor your child's usage. There are identity theft protection products for families, such as Experian IdentityWorks, which offers identity alerts and social media monitoring.

6.      Research the latest in social media. Stay educated on things like what new social media platforms pop up, on the latest scams online, and on how to talk to your child about online safety. This will enable you to have open conversations with your child and help keep them safe on social networks and online.

What age should children be allowed on social media?

The number one demographic for new users of the Internet pornography are guys, ages 11 to 17.

PROTECTING YOUR CHILD ON SOCIAL MEDIA

There are some negative impacts based on various scientific research and studies including increased ANXIETY & DEPRESSION, the risk of CYBERBULLYING, and sometimes a Decrease In Real-Life Interaction.

There are a variety of factors that weigh into the impact of social media and every child is different, but it can be hard to know what's happening unless you're regularly discussing how your kids are using social networks and responding to things they see.

TEACH YOUR CHILD HOW TO STAY SAFE ONLINE

By teaching healthy social media habits early on, your child can be off to a good start once they get online. Some of the same tips you follow such as:

·        Using secure passwords and not sharing information

·        Make sure you also adjust settings on every browser, app, and device your child uses.

·        Talk to your child about not clicking links or downloading apps as this can lead to nasty viruses or malware on your computer, or risk your child being a victim of a phishing scam.

·        You may also want to limit time online for your child and keep the computer in an open area of your house.

·        Teach Your Child About Identity Theft   Discuss with them the essential elements of their identity, which are: First, last and middle name, Date of birth, Address, Phone number, Birth certificate, Medical cards, Driver license, Passport etc.

Note: This lecture was delivered at Men Fellowship  Meeting of Evangelical Church Winning All -ECWA Chapel, Ibadan  on 16th February, 2020