administrator
Nov 23
|10:50 AM
Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 November 2010 10:53
Do we need accountability on our phones???
We constantly get calls and emails about how to set up filters and accountability software for home, office and schools. It is a important to filter out the trash that is at your fingertips on your computers or laptops. We have several of these resources that we can suggest and set up, but now with a new world of technology at our fingertips any where we are, you need to be protected. With people in ministry dropping out because immorality choices, and after further investigation, most of them started out small with online pornography that lead to deeper immorality. So now with full web capability phones, the door to immorality is in your pocket. But don’t worry….. because we have done more research and demoed several options to help keep you safe and accountable for your connection in your pocket. We will list out the four major Operating systems (RIM- Blackberry, Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile). techPartner has personally demoed each one of these operating systems on different phones and will suggest options for your accountability to stay pure in your choices on how you use your phone.
There are some areas that will help with your accountability: text messaging, web browsing, media messages (photos), call logs, and location. The problem with any phone is that you can delete your history, call log, messages and photos before you let someone else view your phone, but that is not true accountability.
The iPhone has the ability to accomplish personal accountability. Using several apps you can browse on a filtered browser to block your content on the phone, and track your gps location (X3watch, safeeyes, track my phone?)
Blackberry (RIM) from our observation and investigation does not really have much ability to filter or keep the user accountable in areas of temptation. Blackberry is designed for the corporate world, which used in its corporate environment; it can be funneled through the platform that most companies use to stay on top of their employees. These features are not necessary for the phone to work for the general public, and without it, allows this phone to be wide open for unfiltered content. After using this phone personally for several months, and searching for apps that would help me be accountable on my my mobile device, nothing emergered.
Android is the fastest growing operating phone system on the market right now, and if the growth keeps up will pass the iphone in the next year. With over 50,000 apps available on its Android platform, designed by google, there are lots of options. The one that I personally tested and have come to really appreciate its capability is phonebeagle. It allows me the ability to know that at any point my wife can check, my location, pages view on my browser, see my text messages, see my call logs. Now, the funny thing is that even without this software we know that God is always watching and sees our location and what our eyes are inputting and that alone should cause us to put us back on the path on righteousness, but with the knowledge that a partner or spouse is capable at any time to check in on us. With a $49 a year ticket price, it is worth every penny to know I have taken steps to guard my life, family, ministry from little step that will cause you to drift away from a relationship with God, that will then create gulfs between other relationships.
Please do all you can to help keep yourself accountable with your technology at home, office or church.