“I raise an apostolic voice of warning about the potentially stifling, suffocating, suppressing, and constraining impact of some of the cyberspace interactions and experiences upon our souls.” (David A. Bednar, Things as They Really Are, Liahona, June 2010)

Social Media and Technology Impact

As we have learned in recent years (BYU-Idaho study and ChildMind.org article), social media and excessive screen time can negatively impact our mental health and overall happiness. This is especially true with our children and young adults. It is important that we have open and honest discussions as a family about the dangers of social media.

Preventing Addiction

There are many things that we can do to help safeguard our homes. As found in the Help and Support for Leaders, M. Russell Ballard noted steps that parents can take to minimize these effects.

• • Make Good Media Choices. We need to make good media choices ourselves and set good examples for children.
  • Use Filters. We need to use Internet filters and TV programming locks to prevent children from “chancing upon” things they should not see.
  • Spend Enough Quality Time with Children. We need to spend enough quality time with children that we are consistently the main influence in their lives, not the media or any peer group.
  • Limit the Amount of Time Children Watch Media. We need to limit the amount of time our children watch TV or play video games or use the Internet each day. Virtual reality must not become their reality.
  • Do Not Have TVs and Computers in a Private Place. We need to have TVs and computers in a much-used common room in the home, not in a bedroom or a private place.
  • Hold Family Councils. We need to hold family councils and decide what the media standards are going to be.
  • Take Time to Watch Appropriate Media. We need to take time to watch appropriate media with children and discuss with them how to make choices that will uplift and build rather than degrade and destroy.

Recovering from Pornography and Addiction