By COLlive reporter
Coronavirus may not be the only danger hitting frum Jewish communities, one educator is warning in a new video released on Monday.
Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, Rosh Yeshivas Lubavitch in Cincinnati, says he is deeply concerned that children of all ages are being exposed to “tremendous spiritual viruses” as parents give them free access to online content during isolation.
As reported on COLlive.com, many schools that were closed at the onset of the pandemic have moved classes to online platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet.
Along with that, some parents have been keeping their children occupied during isolation on computers, tablets and phones on various video platforms.
“There are children who are using tablets and iPhones which do not have a filter,” says Rabbi Avtzon. “It’s bringing tremendous negative results and exposing them to tremendous spiritual viruses that can have damaging effects for generations.”
He urged parents to set up parental controls and content filters, along with regular monitoring of children’s activities on electronic devices.
VIDEO:
I watched this on my potato because there are no electronics in my house.
Kudos
With no backyard. I agree. Would rather not a screen nor PBS kids. But after hours and hours of homeschooling, and a husband who works around the clock, I need a break. Need. I could scream my brains out . That would also spiritually ruin them. You can’t speak when you have a yard and space
They can have entertainment make sure it’s kosher and filtered and set up with necessary parental controls such as screen time on the IOS etc!
How is anything you wrote a reason not to put a filter on your computer?
He wasn’t speaking about not having a device. It’s possible to have a device with a filter and still have all the entertainment your child needs to stay busy without being exposed to the real issue he was focusing on – Arayus related. There are plenty of very user-friendly filters where one can either filter a device from disallowing any browsing and allowing only certain apps (GenTech solutions. About $90 a year) to allowing browsing and yet disallow all websites besides the inappropriate ones – or to only allow websites that you select >“ techloq” would be a great filter… Read more »
He wasn’t speaking about not having a device. It’s possible to have a device with a filter and still have all the entertainment your child needs to stay busy without being exposed to the real issue he was focusing on – Arayus related. There are plenty of very user-friendly filters where one can either filter a device from disallowing any browsing and allowing only certain apps (GenTech solutions. About $90 a year) to allowing browsing and yet disallow all websites besides the inappropriate ones – or to only allow websites that you select >“ techloq” would be a great filter… Read more »
that’s no excuse to ruin your kids life. Speaking from experience, i WISH my parents would have been more vigilant about what I read and watched as a kid. My life would have been so better in so many ways, and I wouldn’t have many of the challenges I have today.
Would you let your kid eat poison because your stressed out and he’s crying for it?
If only parents knew that their chassidishe kids are also humans, and need to be protected from shmutz.
It’s hard to look back and say, that this event or series of events effected your life, in this way. Maybe it actually made you stronger in the long run. Maybe you went through these tests when you were younger instead of in your 20’s , a time when the effects would have been very different. In short instead of blaming your parents for what you went through, toughen up and deal with what you got today.
He’s not talking about uncle moishy overdose, more about preteen and teen issues.
just because he is from Cincinnati and you are in CH (which has tons more kosher options within feet that he doesn’t have) doesn’t take anything from what he’s saying
All the schools should provide tablets to the children as a loan with filters, or apple tablets which allows only zoom,
It’s the best investment for the school who wants the kids to be connected to hashem,
There was an article on col a few weeks about a company Fello.com that is providing pre configured iPad rentals to schools.
If you look at the bigger picture, kids are learning the best life lessons that no classroom can teach them. A lot of households have sick parents, or overwhelmed parents, and the kids are helping and learning crisis management and to focus on the important things such as family. In my house they are helping with cooking, cleaning and doing laundry which they never did before because I was sick before and during yt and the usual cleaning help stopped coming. I think my kids learned such valuable life lessons and the bit of extra screen time is really not… Read more »
It’s wonderful to here that your kid’s are growing and learning, even davening with more concentration. However, I too, was once a kid, and can say from experience that children don’t always understand the life-long effect that seeing things they shouldn’t has on them. On the contrary, because of their pure sincerety they will continue to daven and try to do what Hashem wants (sometimes with doubled vigor-because of their guilty feelings and deep understanding that they’re doing something wrong). At the same time, in many cases, they are embarressed to tell even their parents of their strugle. Baruch Hashem… Read more »
Can you list some links to filters please?
TAG has great filter options
Their website http://tagflatbush.com/filtering/ (shows all the filtering options)
For a computer https://www.techloq.com/ (very easy to install)
For a phone/iPad device https://gentechsolution.com/ You will need to call them. Lately their call wait time can take time due to the current high demand of their software. They’re gina ask that you plug your phone/iPad to a computer and they’ll install the program tailored to your need (depending what you are looking for, you might need to contact them later on to allow a specific website that you want and was blocked – super easy)
there’s also options for emailing them or live chat
Qustodio
Costs money but you can control multiple accounts and devices from your own phone, according to the need of the child
My boys yeshiva said that all kids devices need to have filters. After doing some research i found very good filters for any device(Android/iPhone) can be downloaded for free https://families.google.com/familylink/ (this app for parents, on child device install the other one) . Here you can control for each child account (create each kid a gmail): screen time ,internet filter websites, games, activities, bed time ,location etc. And its ALL FREE.
Who says only children!!!!
we all have a Yetzer Hora, adult men and women ,
Let us not kid ourselves.
Many of us are in recovery and now working at home, and not all of our family members are aware of all the Tzoros we went through !!!
Get a filter on your servers.!!!!!!! and devises like alcoholic annonoymous
It is as urgent as a face mask and social distancing.!!!!!
It is a quiet disaster that is happening to our finest!!!!
I get everything you are saying — and you make some excellent points — except why are you mentioning “devices like Alcoholics Anonymous” here? Alcoholics Anonymous is a 12-step group program, not a “device”?
Gentech solutions is the best filter and worth every penny, they also have great customer support. highly recommended!
As you can now see, Internet and smart devices are a necessity today. Amazing that they are now OK for schools that ban their use. (either they are OK or they are not) Better to teach them to use them for Good. Dangers are everywhere, In the street on the internet. you don’t stop your children from walking in the street, subways etc. you teach them how to be safe. The devices are not bad its how you use them!!! I can only imagine what children who are deprived of them do when they get one. You don’t need a… Read more »
Actually, I filter my own devices as well. It is WAY too easy to accidentally end up in the wrong places. Yes, my filter is pretty lenient, but it prevents me from ending up unintentionally in very bad spots on the internet.
Of course, we also need to teach safe surfing skills, but that doesn’t mean we throw them on their first driving lesson onto an 8-lane highway at 75 mph.
With the laws of Muktza the sages taught us that we can’t be trusted with the laws of shabbos….🤔🤔
I am going to assume that the author of this comment isn’t serious about their claims and they are only advocating for the devil in order to spice up the collive comment section. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that there are those who agree with your arguments so I will do the best I can to clarify this information. When an individual is told that they should enable a filtering system on their internet-capable-device they tend to have contradictory feelings. On one hand, agreeing to limit the ability of one’s device is a sign of weakness, as though to say… Read more »
I have Yeshivish friends whose school earlier this year made a big competition for a grand trip if families would get rid of their WIFI. A few months later quarantine happens and now they have to ask everyone to get the internet again. Most families are so excited about having devices because they have been deprived. As Lubavitchers, we see how to use technology for good, for instance how the Rebbe first started broadcasting. We must show our children that everything on this earth can be used to bring Kedusha.
That obviously includes having a phone with a filter. Kedusha
Let’s not kid ourselves, while everything can be used for kedusha, no internet is definitely the better option if possible.
This article is spot on & a helpful reminder.
Nobody had filters on the radio but that wasn’t a roadblock…filters are great if you have them but the only effective filter is self-control. If people don’t have that, you or your kids will be able to bypass anything you set up, whether it is a software filter or house rules
Incorrect.
Making a “syag” is standard judaism.
So dont deprive them from having phones. But DO PUT A FILTER
put all devices in public places
and yes, get a filter
and talk to kids
check up on kids
and same goes for adults!
TAKES A SECOND TO SEE SOMETHING YOU WISH YOU OR YOUR CHILD NEVER SAW
This is just so sad. Adults are stuck home and should be able to supervise. Our kids must not forget their learning. Not many parents can or should home school. This is a situation no one wants but no choice. Torah learning is a must and children are going to run a bigger risk if left to do nothing. As to adults, if you can’t control your yeyzer hora, you have a bigger problem than the internet. Get a good filter for your kids if it makes you feel better, be grateful to the teachers who are still teaching with… Read more »
Netspark is a great filter for Android devices, it can be installed directly from their website costs between $80-$100 a year, and is completely controlled from an online portal. No need to call and wait on hold Everytime you want to make a change.
For those who are looking for entertainment for your children, Gruntig.net has an enormous amount of videos. I am not connected to them at all, but they are doing a great service by collecting basically kosher entertainment. If there are some not on your Chassidush level, you can ask your kids to check with you first.
Try Torah Treasure instead, they’ve got loads of videos for kids ages 3-10. For older, Mostly Music all the way, (if you can stand their horrible lagging problems when you stream a video)
Great Frum entertainment
It is a overlooked disaster, I hope schools and Yeshivos open up as soon as possible.
unprotected device use can lead to transmitted diseases such as oud vechulu…thank you rabbi avtzon for giving the youth such valuable education although it should be noted that the safest option is not to use the device and protection doesn’t stop the virus which is called corona virus.
Even the most chasidishe bucharim are vulnerable.
Let’s face it, the idea that we should trust kids in this area is ludicrous and against chazal. Chazal testify about human nature….