There is a host of entertainment (videos on YouTube or other sites, photographic essays, etc.) available online that can be very addicting and time consuming. Can entertaining ourselves via the internet be considered a good use of our precious time?

Video games can also be a time waster. While there may be some educational games, many cause violent behavior, separation from reality, and lead to a gaming addiction.

Social media is another topic that we could discuss for at great length. In short, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are becoming common ways to share personal information as well as photos and videos. We would mention two concerns with social media — privacy and photos. Personal information shared on your public profile is available to everyone, even thieves. Search for your name once in a while on google and you’ll be surprised what you find. Some Facebook members post explicit photographs for their public profile. Your child may stumble on those pictures.

There are also legal dangers that you should know about. One of the scariest legal dangers relates to sexting. Some months ago there was a sexting case at Portage Hills Northern High School in Kalamazoo that was investigated by police. If your child requests an explicit picture from a friend they could be guilty of a felony with a maximum jail sentence of twenty years and a maximum fine of $100,000. Sending explicit photos could get you ten years and a $50,000 fine. Possessing an explicit photo of a minor on your computer or phone is a four year felony and a $10,000 fine. At a minimum, a minor would receive a criminal felony on their record for this crime and be recorded in the sex offenders list for ten years.

Often social sites like Facebook are used to harass and bully others using pictures or untrue information. Also, identity thieves can gather personal information from social media sites.