Everyone, from social media experts to police, is urging us to be vigilant in our use of the internet and to make sure our kids are safe.
But how much of this is just noise to deaf ears?
Last Thursday, it was Change Your Password Day to avoid being a target for identity theft. On Tuesday, it was Safer Internet Day to encourage leaders and parents to work together to teach children and youth to be safe online.
The worry is great and it’s not just for the kids. Adults need to acknowledge that cyberbullying is a problem, that racist and sexist comments are part of the online culture, and that maybe we should all stop and think before posting a nasty comment.
Things are getting to the point where those who create the technology we use are trying to unplug, according to a recent news report.
They’re banning themselves from Snapchat, promoting meditation as a way to disconnect and hosting face-to-face gatherings as a way to counter the effects of being alone and online constantly.
One tech worker even had someone put parent-control features on his new iPhone to stop him from downloading more apps.
Here’s the thing, the internet is a wonderful and helpful invention. We need it every day to connect, do work and share our thoughts.
But the constant connection has a downside in loss of human connection, mental health concerns and decreased productivity.
Oddly, it’s against this backdrop that a press release dropped into this paper’s inbox proclaiming that eight rest stops in Super, Natural British Columbia are getting WiFi so travellers can stay connected. Of course, what is a family picnic at a picturesque rest stop without access to the internet, we wonder.
Yes, we get it. Convenience is important, and there are many good reasons to have access to WiFi. We just hope the next family camping trip can leave the internet alone for a few days, allowing everyone to take a much-needed break.
To borrow from 1960s counterculture icon Timothy Leary, it’s time to turn off the tech, tune in to each other and drop in on someone instead of FaceTiming them.
If Google, Twitter and Facebook workers can do it, so can the rest of us.
