The Internet, Unplugged

Media and its affects are becoming omnipresent in our world today. Most households now have more than one computer, as well as additional Internet-connected devices. This trend is not slowing down, and there's no chance of making it. The Internet is an amazing technological feat with so many useful applications, and it should be accessible to everyone. But with all of it's awesome capabilities, the Internet also brings a large helping of danger into our homes. From online-gaming or Internet-pornography addictions, to phishing emails from Nigerian princes and easy access to less-than-trustworthy people, and more--the Internet opens a floodgate into the home for all of this if we don't take precautions. Beyond content filters that can be installed on the home network, it also helps to limit the amount of time we expose ourselves to media, in any form. Scheduling unplugged hours (or even days) during which media is off limits can help build family bonds and lasting memories that watching the latest sitcom together can't. We shouldn't kick the Internet out completely, but we should control how we use it, and not let it use us.