GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA

Tips for Parents Buying Cell Phones for their Kids from the safety booklet published by the Religious Alliance Against Pornography that the Archdiocese contributed to:

1) Circumvent access to pornography at the cell phone store: You must be 18 years or older to purchase a cell phone. Make sure that if you purchase a cell phone for a child or minor in your household that you do not enable Internet access or access to content that is adult-oriented.

2) Check your cell phone bill: Review charges to your cell phone bill. Make sure that you are not being charged for packages or services you either do not need or did not sign up for. If you have a question about what services you have active on your phone(s), call your wireless carrier.

3) Get educated: Clergy should either call the Department of Internet Ministries with questions or research more information online at sites such asCNet’s Keeping Kids Safe Online, GetNetWise, ProtectKids, or SafeKids.com. Additionally, parishes should take an proactive role in conducting seminars for parents and GOYA members and even publishing Internet safety guides in their bulletins.

4) Talk about the issues: Talk about these issues with your children and even their friends’ parent. Even though you may be educated, parents of your child’s friends may not be; and they may have unknowingly given their children cell phones with access to pornography.

As the adoption of emerging technologies quickens, the challenges we confront as parents, clergy, and Christians will not only become greater, but they will also become more complex. For this reason, we must heed the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to comfort one another and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11). If we stay grounded in the message and teachings of Scripture, then we will be able to confront and overcome whatever challenges may come before us.

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