Since the internet is such a big thing these days and almost everyone in the civilized world is using it, I thought I would share with you some of my personal guidelines and practices in using the internet. While these are my own personal guidelines, I certainly don’t expect others to do things the same way I do. I just hope that perhaps someone may glean something useful from what I’ve learned.
1. Use the internet as a tool only. I see it as a fast-paced messaging system or public bulletin board. It’s useful to me because I have so many long-distance friends to keep up with. I can interact with like-minded people. But I don’t let the internet control my life.
2. Be organized and purposeful. When I was in school I had to be on my computer a lot because of the online courses and constant writing I had to do. It’s nice now to only be on my computer when I want to be. I try to limit my computer time, though, by keeping the list of websites I visit regularly short and by making to-do lists of stuff that I actually need to get done online (like business and financial stuff, important letters). That helps to keep me from getting distracted.
3. Use the internet to build relationships, not destroy them. The internet allows me to stay connected with some of my Russian kids, which is very important to me. It also allows me to fellowship with other like-minded ladies, something I don’t have much of locally. I can keep in touch with long-distance relatives I would otherwise never hear from. But I don’t want to let internet time get in the way of relationships with the flesh-and-blood people around me. Most of my time on the internet is spent when my family is sleeping. During daytime hours I focus on spending time with people and doing physical activities.
4. Do not make major life decisions based on stuff you read on the internet. I would not hesitate to do a Google search to find out how to make pickles or who is the president of Argentina. But when it comes to things like theology, health issues, my personal convictions, decisions about my life work, or any major choice, I don’t rely much, if at all, on information from the internet. I am a very fact-oriented person. Verifying the accuracy and source of information is important to me, and that is often impossible on the internet. When I am on a fact-finding mission, I may utilize internet databases and websites of organizations with reputable offline reputations. However, I do not regard anything I glean off the internet as being more authoritative then the Bible, time-tested books, and the counsel of my parents and other Godly people in my life. Any fool can post anything on the internet with no accountability whatsoever, so I’m very careful about believing things I come across on the internet. As a rule, if I can’t verify it, I don’t take it seriously. While I do find many personal websites and blogs to be helpful and encouraging, I do not regard them as authoritative in my life.
5. Don’t do conflict on the internet. Discussing controversial issues in a civil manner can be beneficial, but interpersonal conflict is best dealt with offline. I do not take part in internet wars because I have more than enough real-life issues to deal with. In the faceless world of the internet, it’s really hard to know exactly what or who you are dealing with. When I receive (occasional) nasty comments or messages, my personal policy is to ignore (and delete) them and just let it die. I don’t have time to deal with such things, and I am not interested in arguing with fools. I will, however, try to take the time to answer an honest question.
6. Don’t be suspicious of everyone. Don’t treat people you haven’t met like they are all predators. Most people who use the internet are ordinary people just like you and me. Use caution, but be polite.
7. Respect privacy and be discrete. Don’t post embarrassing or hurtful information about others. Don’t post anything publically that you wouldn’t want the whole world to know. I think that Christians should be open and transparent about their lives, but there are some things that just don’t belong on the internet.
8. Keep all communication with the opposite gender on an impersonal level. On the same note, I don’t post anything publically that would be inappropriate for someone of the opposite gender to read. Again, there are some things that just don’t belong on the internet.
9. Share things that could be helpful and encouraging to others.
10. Pray for needs that you become aware of through the internet. The Body of Christ knows no boundaries – the internet is a great tool in this area.
11. Don’t let internet information usurp the counsel of your God-given authorites. Refer back to # 4. I always cringe a little when I hear moms say they made some major change in the way they do things based on something they read on the internet. When it comes to important issues of faith, practice, and lifestyle, we need to be going first to our fathers, husbands, or other wise flesh-and-blood counsellors, not to the internet. The internet is a tool, not a master.
12. Smile 
Show God’s love to others. Some people may not have any contact with Christians apart from the internet. We can be a witness for Christ by sharing publically what He has done in our lives.
Twelve is a nice, even number, so I think I’ll stop there. Maybe this list will be useful to someone else, maybe not, but there it is. I really do appreciate all the feedback I have been getting on this blog. I’ve come across some wonderful people. Keep it up!
December 2nd, 2009 - 10:46 am
Those are wonderful guidelines, thanks for sharing them. I really enjoy your blog, I found it through your comment on my post on ylcf.org.
I will definitely have to come back for another visit. Blessings!
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Vanessa Reply:
December 5th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
@Melinda, Thank you for visiting my blog. I love reading the articles on YLCF and getting acquainted with other young ladies. God bless you!
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December 2nd, 2009 - 3:33 pm
Great guidelines.
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February 12th, 2010 - 8:13 am
Vanessa, thank you for posting these guidelines. I agree with what you wrote. There’s a Bible verse that always comes to mind when I think about internet safety. When Jesus sent away His disciples to minister, He instructed them to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves”. It’s so important to be cautious while on the internet, but at the same time show yourself friendly. Thanks again for posting this list. ~Blessings, Eden
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