Internet Safety

What does Elder Ballard say is our “biggest challenge” related to media?
Elder Ballard said our biggest challenge is to choose wisely what we listen to and what we watch.
What guidelines have our Church leaders been giving us for safe use of media such as the TV and Internet?
Church leaders have said that to be strong and happy, families need to be nourished by the truths depicted in the thirteenth article of faith—by a belief “in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men.”
Also Elder Ballard said this, "The time has come when members of the Church need to speak out and join with the many other concerned people in opposition to the offensive, destructive, and mean-spirited media influence that is sweeping over the earth."
As a teacher, how can you appropriately influence children and parents to develop healthy patterns of media use?
As a teacher I plan to take media in the right context and make sure and use appropriate media. I also have to realize that something that may not be offensive to me, may be offensive to a parent or child, I have to keep that in consideration, and prepare to deal with those issues. I also would like to possibly do a unit on internet, media safety to my students before using the internet.
Pornography-
Which of these guidelines do you follow?
I personally follow all of these guidelines.
How might you share these guidelines with family and friends?
My mom is really good about following these guidelines, but it is difficult to safeguard individuals when they have their own computer in their rooms. I know I have shared information about certain blocking website programs that are available for free.
McKay Today Magazine
What experiences have you had with the balance between protecting and providing when it comes to technology use?
When I lived at home my parents tried several different approaches to protecting us from the internet. At first when question arrived, they attempted to get all of our passwords, or take away privileges. That did not work. The children felt taken advantage of and had no privacy, and did not even want to use their email after that. Which is completely understandable. But they learned to accept MSN chat and facebook after time went on. They began to use texting themselves. My mom even ended up getting facebook because 8 of her children had it. I believe that my parents became educated over time and then that provided my siblings the freedom they needed but also my parents trusted them, and no problems occured after that.
What ideas do you have for learning to preside, provide, protect, and nurture when it comes to technology in your own home?
I want to be involved with the games they play, play them with them. I want to know about the internet activities they are engaged in, then if something ever did come up I would talk to them about the best solutions. I dont believe taking it away is a good option either, that could cause more problems. I know that with the Lord's help and guidance I will find the appropriate place to stand on technology.