Facing Facebook: Worldview Considerations of Social Networking
Airing on
Probe Radio
Feb.
8-12 |
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Byron Barlowe — It seems like everybody is on Facebook! At 350 million members worldwide and growing exponentially, this social networking community would be the third largest country in the world! One hundred million Americans, including 86 percent of American women, now have a profile on at least one social networking site, nearly double from a year earlier.
"...Twitter has radically changed the face of online communication. This year alone [2009],
usage has grown by 900 percent….” But kids prefer the ever-popular YouTube video-sharing site.
Two-thirds of Internet users around the world visit blogs and social networks, making it more popular than
email. And older users are flocking to social sites. So this is about you and your friends, too, mom and dad!
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(left-click to listen
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| MEET THE AUTHOR |
 BYRON BARLOWE
"When I entered the world of social networking, it was with a wary eye. Most people my age (47) and older don’t see the point, but I found Facebook and Twitter easy to use and a great way to (re)connect and network. As a 'worldviewist,' I wanted to explore its implications, which run from concerning to redemptive."
Byron is a research associate and Probe's Web coordinator. After college, he served 20 years with Campus Crusade for Christ), eight years as editor and Webmaster of Leadership University (LeaderU.com). His wife, Dianne, served 25 years with Crusade and now homeschools their rambunctious pre-teen triplets. Byron is passionate about "soc-net" and is considering having his phone surgically attached to his body.
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Related Articles:
MySpace: Parents and Kids Wisely Navigating Online Social Networking
Byron explores how MySpace and other social networking sites can be a great boon or a great danger. Christian parents of teens should exercise discernment in educating themselves about this important part of life, and look for a redemptive view of this social technology.
 Online Affairs
Kerby Anderson highlights online affairs, the sin of adultery with
an "electronic" relationship on the Internet.
Probe Answers Your Questions:
"How Can Computers Be Used to Share the Gospel?"
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