TV Turn Off Week

From Parent's TV Network-
Started in 1994, TV Turn-Off Week is a twice-yearly event during which people are urged to go without TV for a week. Recent Nielsen statistics show that on average, Americans today watch 4 hours of television per day -- and then spend another 4+ hours with computers, games, video, iPods and cell phones! Turning off the screen gives viewers time to think, read, create, connect with family and engage the community. It also offers the opportunity to assess the impact and re-think the role of television in our lives.

50 Things to do instead of watch TV.

PlayStation

I couldn't wait until next week to make this post. Not because it's good news, but because I needed to vent. The implications are incalcuable. This is code red.

The world's largest adult entertainment company, Vivid, has requested from Sony to approve porn to be available on the PlayStation. Apparently, Sony allows Japan to download porn from the HD network and, consequently, Vivid feels that Sony will accept their request.

Vivid's excuse for protecting children under 18 from accessing the porn? Age verification. Any parent, knows that with 1 click on the computer, any child can deceive the age verification process. It only gives adults a false sense of security if there is age verification. Let's face it, our tween and teens are way more tech savvy then their parents. Age verification is not the answer.

Stay posted to see Sony's decision.

Read more.

Twitter and Facebook

Many of us know that MySpace is a cesspool for porn and spammers. Have you thought about Facebook and Twitter?

Unfortunately, even Facebook and Twitter are subjected to pornography. In an article from MSNBC, wherever the action is, that is where the pornographers will go. In fact Twitter has grown over 1000% in just over year. Facebook has now reached 65 million active users which means 65 million people have downloaded the Facebook app to their cell phone.

I regularly update the AZFC Twitter page. I have seen porn on Twitter. It was a simple picture of a girl who wanted to follow my tweets. I accepted and in turn, followed her tweets. When I went to her page to find out who wanted to follow us, I was blown away at the inappropriate material and links to 'live shows.'

A friend of mine who runs the Girls Against Porn website told me her Facebook group was up. I searched for Girls Against Porn on Facebook and couldn't believe at the amounts of pornography on Facebook.

The moral of this post is, do not be deceived. Most of you are on Facebook and ALL your children definitely are. Porn on Twitter and Facebook is 1 click away.

How are you keeping your children safe online?

Porn on Twitter

Facebook Mobile Passes 65 Million Active Users

Pres. Obama's Speech to Our Children

Parents,

 

This week, President Obama is addressing the nation's students while they are at school.  He has also sent out lesson plans to each school asking that teachers follow his remarks with the lesson outline.

 

We respect the Office of the President of the United States and appreciate that President Obama wants to encourage students to stay in school and to make education a priority in their lives.  However, we believe that rather than addressing the students during the school day, it would be more beneficial to families if President Obama would have addressed the students during prime time on national television, when parents could choose to watch his address in their homes with their children, and have a chance to discuss the President’s ideas around the dinner table. 

 

Because the President has chosen to address the students during the day, we would encourage parents to:

*Ask your school how it is planning to handle the speech and the discussion afterward.  

*Rather than pull your students from the classroom during the President's address, take the opportunity, where possible, to go and sit with your children in the classroom and where appropriate take part in the discussion. 

*If you are unable to go to the classroom, please read President Obama’s speech online and discuss it with your child before he/she goes to school.  Students of all ages will benefit from this discussion.  

The text of the speech will be available Monday online.  The lesson plans are already available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/bts.html

President Obama will deliver the speech from Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va. Tuesday morning at 9am AZ time.

 

Thank you,

 

AZ Family Council