Israeli Children and the Smartphone

According to a new report, 83% of Israeli children aged 8-15 are in possession of a smartphone, and 93% use their mobile devices for at least four hours every day (“Israeli kids and their smartphones,” Israel Today, Jan. 8, 2016). Half say they are online within 15 minutes after waking, “connecting with friends via social networks like Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, and Snapchat.” Half also say they receive in excess of 100 Whatsapp messages daily. Other surveys show that Snapchat is used by 60% of smartphone users aged 13-34. It is used to send a photo, video, or drawing that disappears in 1-10 seconds (user determined). The messages are called “snaps” and over a billion are sent daily. “It is popular for ‘teasing/sexting’ as teens think the pic cannot be saved.” Our youth discipleship course The Mobile Phone and the Christian Home and Church deals extensively with electronic media.

(Friday Church News Notes, January 22, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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