2. Why All the Fuss?

This chapter exists for two reasons: to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comforted. There are, broadly speaking, two types of people who will have made it to this point in the book. The first group are individuals who understand that dangers and issues in cyberspace must be addressed to protect ourselves and our families spiritually. The second group are skeptical or naïve (or both) and aren’t sure what all the fuss is about. They’re not necessarily convinced of any real danger.

For the comforted, those oblivious to the dangers and the risks face by themselves and their loved ones, this chapter is intended to help you feel some urgency, to understand some of the risks that you’ve maybe not understood before.

For the afflicted, those who already understand the reality of the dangers, this chapter is intended to help you feel validated and to give you some emotional (and statistical) support before diving into the topics in greater detail.

As I’ve studied, spoken, written, taught, and podcasted about Internet safety for the past few years, I’ve distilled what I believe to be the ten most critical areas of concern—areas where technology intersects significantly with our moral lives. In the following sections, I provide a rapid tour of the potential problem areas and attempt to provide some statistical and anecdotal motivation to help you understand the magnitude of the problem. Each of these topics is discussed later in a dedicated chapter where the topic can be more deeply explored, with practical solutions presented for parents and leaders.

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