Tech Geek

I like when people and companies that are part of a problem are also willing to be part of the solution. So I was glad to hear recently of an effort by LG Electronics, the world's third largest mobile phone handset maker, to help adults understand text messaging. Last summer I wrote an article for Lutheran Partners entitled Tech and Youth: Wise as Serpents, Innocent as Doves. In researching that article, I discovered the prevalence of sexting, as well as how, in one case at least, the consequences can be deadly.

LG Electronics has recently unveiled a new site called LG Text Ed, available at www.LGTextEd.com. On it they hope to help parents understand the language of text messaging and also the potential dangers of sexting and other threatening messages. The homeroom of the site links to a ton of good resources, more than I have had time to read or even skim, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), a Library of information, and Facts about phone use. LG has brought together an "advisory council of leading child behavior and health experts who examine important issues related to tweens, teens, and mobile phone use."

Related to that site is another LG site called DTXTR, or de-texter. This site allows you to enter a text messaging term and have it decoded into English! LGDTXTR.com also has links to texting tips, a glossary of commonly (and un-commonly) used terms, and a quiz to see if you're up to snuff on the shorthand codes that teens are using. I only got 5 of 10 right on the quiz!

I'm going to pass these sites along to my parents and continue browse it to educate myself. Texting is the most efficient way I've found to communicate with the people in my youth groups and I have talked to many parents who are discovering that it works well for them and their children. As with any technology, parents need to understand what their children are doing and anything we can do to educate them will certainly help.

(Another resource I haven't explored too much is SextingIsStupid.com )