I found this book disturbing. I know I should already be aware of the dangers outlined in the book (Bryce kept saying 'Duh' when I would mention another fact gleaned from the book about technology and the tracking of our every click), but reading about them really filled me with apprehension and a desire to disengage from digital devices. I'm not all that technologically savvy, but I do have a Facebook account and a blog. As Steyer points out, I'm leaving a digital trail for both myself and my children. That is what I find scary.
Everything I post puts me out there on the web for all to see. I know that, but the magnitude of that reality really hit me while reading this book. It almost made me want to stop writing my blog. Basically, anyone can know quite a bit about me just from reading my blog posts. Of course, I did remind myself that apart from one stalker (from Allendale, Michigan??? who are you and why do you open my blog every couple of hours?), not many individuals are interested in knowing more about me. Most of my hits come from people searching for a book review. But still, I do post photos of my children and I am creating a digital fingerprint for them often without giving it enough thought. It is hard to balance the desire for readership and documentation of a life that is speeding by with the desire to maintain privacy.
Steyer outlines three major pitfalls relating to kids' use of the all-encompassing web: relationship issues, attention/addiction problems and the lack of privacy. It was the lack of privacy that hit home with me most significantly. I don't want my children to be tracked for their every consumer-related click. I don't want them to be targeted simply for their spending capacities. I don't want information about their political views and religious perspectives to be documented and one day used against them.
We are already fighting the battle of keeping our children off the computer and limiting their screen time (an extremely difficult discipline to follow and we seldom manage to limit it to two hours a day as Steyer suggests). I recognized every danger highlighted in this book. These dangers applied to both myself and my children.
Thankfully, the book also included a section of common sense advice for parents, broken down by age group and addressing common questions for each stage. Moreover, the book didn't lionize technology as completely evil, but realistically addressed some of the issues which have arisen as we have made rapid advancements in this area. It is difficult for parents to keep abreast of new technology and even to know how to confront the completely new dilemmas technology poses today.
It seems every day this world is looming with more dangers. Government and social networking organizations continue to head towards the direction of the Big Brother society. My husband was telling me about the genetically-modified corn which is being used in many of our food products despite full knowledge that rats tested are developing large cancerous tumors. The bottom line is more important than the privacy or health of individuals. All of this is scary. Maintaining a healthy life in today's world requires both knowledge and diligence. Hopefully, this book has made me more aware of pitfalls and dangers in the digital world, so that I can take every step available to safeguard myself and my children. .
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