Expert: Kids Need Guidance With Today’s Technology

CHATHAM – Steve Jobs famously called computers “A bicycle for the mind.” He said that human beings are “tool-builders” and that computers could take us far beyond our inherent abilities. His general message was that technology was a tool to be used with intention. 

The same message was reiterated Jan. 6 as the Monomoy Regional School District, in collaboration with Children’s Cove, the Cape and Islands Child Advocacy Center, hosted a speaker on a nationwide tour on cyber cruelty.

Richard Guerry, the executive director of the Institute for the Responsible Online and Cell Phone Communication, delivered a 60-minute presentation that addressed rising online risks for children. In the wide-ranging discussion, Guerry spoke about giving young people better tools to deal with cyber cruelty. He stressed teaching kids to be intentional in how they interact online. 

 “Are you OK with what you will do and say on a tool and a platform that connects you to the world?” asked Guerry. “It’s really important that our youth understand, especially in a world of AI and wearables, as technology becomes more powerful and more imminent…it’s really important that how we use these platforms determines outcomes.”

Throughout the presentation Guerry brought up topics like educating students on communicating with strangers on gaming platforms, understanding that people outside of the receiver can have access to the content they send, and why online privacy isn’t really private.

 “Tech companies call them privacy settings and they set the wrong expectations for generations of people,” said Guerry. “What we are using are not privacy settings, what you're using are what are called transparency or visibility settings. Please help them transition from seeing this as a phone into what it really is, a window to the world.”

During the presentation, Guerry pointed out the risks in AI platforms. He explained how a lot of platforms, as a default, index their prompts on Google, noting that when people ask artificial intelligence things they would like to keep private, like medical advice, they could be made public.

Heidi Friedel, the community programs coordinator for Children’s Cove, introduced Guerry to the audience to start the event. She explained why it was important to bring Guerry to speak with Monomoy and other local schools.

 “He has that true background knowledge in tech and that great understanding of tech and how it applies. He does an incredible job in reaching students” said Friedel. 

Monomoy Regional School District Community Engagement Coordinator Joy Jordan explained how bringing in Guerry to speak was one of many things Monomoy schools do to teach kids appropriate online behavior and safety. 

 “It’s really woven through almost everything that our educators do,” she said. “There are explicit lessons on digital citizenship, their technology classes, or their library media classes. They work really hard to talk about kindness and being thoughtful and behaviors that apply in person or when you’re talking to someone online.”

After the presentation, Guerry said that asking questions with your kids is the first step in understanding their digital footprint.

 “If we’re talking about elementary or middle school, first thing I would do is ask if they’re gaming and do you talk to people,” he said. “If so, who are you talking to? Social media — what kind of platforms are you using, how are you using them?”

Guerry stressed that when deciding whether or not your child is ready for their own device, make sure you are 100 percent confident that they have someone they trust that they can speak with if they run into a bad situation online. 

To end his presentation, Guerry stressed that a proper mindset is the most important thing.

 “All of your kids have or will have technology,” said Guerry. “When you give it to them, when you’re talking with them about it, help them understand this mindset and help them use it to show the world how beautiful they can be.”

To learn more about the Institute for the Responsible Online and CellPhone Communication, visit www.iroc2.org.