Digital Safety Expert Richard Guerry to Speak at Jmore Event

August 8, 2023 JMORE Staff

Richard Guerry, of the Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication, will speak at Jmore's "Parenting, Perils and Possibilities: Diving Into Digital" event on Sept. 12. (Provided photo)

With the proliferation of powerful technologies and digital systems, the fine art of parenting is more challenging than ever these days. And the arrival of artificial intelligence software and websites promises to make parenting even more complex.

Richard Guerry is founder and executive director of the Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication, a nonprofit striving to “promote responsible use of technology.” He will speak on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Jmore event “Parenting, Perils and Possibilities: Diving Into Digital.” The gathering will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Merrick Lecture Hall at Goucher College, 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd. in Towson. (For information, visit jmoreliving.com/parenting2023.)

In 2019, Jmore spoke about digital safety with Guerry, a former corporate interactive marketing executive and author of “Public and Permanent: The Golden Rule of the 21st Century, Straight Talk about Digital Safety” (Balboa Press).

Here is some of what he had to say:

Jmore: How can we help youngsters navigate through this complex digital world?

Guerry: Before we give our children devices that can connect them to billions of people all over the world, we must be confident they understand that what they post can become public and permanent. Social privacy is an oxymoron. What we’re really doing with privacy settings is limiting visibility. We should think of them as visibility settings, not privacy settings. It’s like pulling down a shade; there is some privacy but there is also always a way to peek into that window. In a world created for communication purposes, hiding information is when problems occur.

You call the digital world “the 21st-century flame.”

Fire can create positive outcomes but can also have negative consequences. If you harness the power of the flame, you can do amazing things. But if you abuse it, there could be catastrophic damages.

The digital world is similar. Using these tools for communication purposes can create awesome outcomes, like faster and easier ways to connect with people. But if you post inappropriate content, you will run into problems.

How does one know what to post and what to pass over?

It all comes down to the level of risk you are willing to take on. The more you put out, the more risk you are taking on. There is no right or wrong in terms of posting, there are just posts that will increase your risk of having a negative outcome.

If you post a scenic picture or family photo, you are incurring little risk. Posting that you are on vacation or your home address is increasing to that risk.

When it comes to risk, we are all willing to take some on. For example, we all know there is risk in getting in a car, but we still do it because it gets us from point A to point B. We know we can’t control those around us, but we do our part by driving defensively. Technology is like any other tool on the planet; it’s how you use it that will determine the outcome. All kids should put their social media profiles on applications. By doing so, you are showing the world you know how to use technology and how to use it responsibly, which is a double plus in our world.

It’s when kids start trying to hide their social media profiles, because they know the content could get them into trouble or cause challenges, that you know there is a problem.

What do parents need to do?

Parents need to teach digital mindfulness. People are going to make mistakes, and unfortunately we are at a point where this generation of kids may experience some pitfalls for others to learn from. But the hope is that kids are making informed decisions when using technology.

So if your child does make a mistake when using technology, even if it’s a catastrophic one, it’s your responsibility to let them know life isn’t over. However, it will be vital for them to learn from that mistake and start making responsible decisions from that moment to begin establishing a more positive footprint. By doing so, they will illustrate they have learned and be counted on as a beneficial digital citizen moving forward.

That being said, if you don’t trust your child will come to you when they are in trouble, they may not be ready for a phone or tablet that will connect them to the digital world.