Dark side of the Internet

Without a doubt, one of the most important responsibilities God gives to anyone is the one He gives to parents. Charged with raising their children in the fear of the Lord, theirs is a serious and difficult task. Joy and sorrow often go hand in hand in the mission and task of raising young people.

The challenge of raising children is all the more difficult today because of the Internet. First invented in 1990, it has grown enormously, in ways few predicted when it arrived on the scene. Like most things, there is plenty to enjoy about it. The Internet allows for greater connectivity and for the easier spread of information.

But there is a dark side as well. Human nature being what it is, we will always corrupt and use good things for evil purposes. In many ways, the Internet is a bit like the Wild West in that it remains largely untamed and unregulated. One area that has been a particular focus for CARE is the issue of online pornography. We have become increasingly concerned at the way young people are exposed to adult content online. A major study by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) a couple of months ago showed that more than half of 11-13-year olds said they had seen porn. That rose to 66% for 14-15-year olds.