Caution! Proceed at own risk! … Is social media dangerous terrain?
Toxic! … Should we label it as a health hazard?
The internet is not a toy. Social media platforms offer great tools for interaction, knowledge and connection. But it’s a tool that needs handled carefully.
So much good can come from social media; it can connect us with friends and family with an immediacy that previous generations could only wonder at. But it can also be used unwisely. Whether it’s harsh words,
regrettable posts, or excessive scrolling, we should think seriously about how God wants us to engage with social media. What does the Bible teach us? Jason Thacker’s helpful guide will help students explore the wisest ways to use social media.
Contents:
- Introduction: There is an app for that
- How is social media changing you?
- How am I really using social media?
- The power of TikTok
- Who has access to the things I post or watch on social media?
- Why do I turn to social media when I am ________?
- Why is everyone so angry on social media?
- But I saw a video about that online?!
- The power of ‘I don’t know’
- Conclusion: Renewing your relationship with social media
- Appendix A: What Now? (Action Items)
- Appendix B: Recommended Resources
- Appendix C: A Toolkit for Evaluating Your Use of Social Media
Track is a series of books designed to disciple the next generation in the areas of culture, doctrine, and the Christian life. While the topics addressed aren’t always simple, they are communicated in a manner that is.
With the intention of the content being absorbed, examined and applied, each chapter includes a summary of the main point, and reflection questions that can be used individually, in 1–2–1 mentoring or in a group setting.
About the Author :
Jason Thacker serves as director of the research institute and chair of research in technology ethics at The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He also serves as an adjunct instructor of philosophy, ethics, and worldview at Boyce College in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the author of several books, including his latest ‘Following Jesus in a Digital Age’.
Review :
This is a short, important and a book that will help us all to reflect on our use of social media – or should that be social media’s use of us?
To use your tools well, it is crucial that you understand how they will attempt to shape your heart, mind, and soul. For that reason and many more I highly recommend reading A Student’s Guide to Social Media.
Jason Thacker is one of today’s foremost experts on ethics and technology. He’s also a godly family man whose love for Christ shines through in his writing. In this new addition to the RYM track series, Thacker helps youth grow in wisdom, giving them a clear framework for thinking theologically and acting ethically in their increasingly confusing online social world.
Students often ask, ‘where do I start?’ when attempting to comprehend and navigate the challenges of our digital age. A Student’s Guide to Social Media provides a solid launching point to understanding the difficulties of the digital age and how to faithfully navigate them while remaining rooted in the Christian faith.
We are always being discipled; either by culture or Christ. A danger of the world’s discipleship is that it often goes unnoticed. Track: Social Media wonderfully aids us in remaining sober–minded as we engage with social media to ensure that our use of technology conforms us to Christ, not culture.
