Youth Safety Upgrade Suggestion for New Apps and Sites

Discussions about the Ward Directory and Map tool on churchofjesuschrist.org.
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cajunbelle70663
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Joined: Sun May 01, 2011 8:05 pm

Youth Safety Upgrade Suggestion for New Apps and Sites

#1

Post by cajunbelle70663 »

I have noticed that when using Apps, YM & YW's email addresses and phone numbers show. I would rather see the icon indicating that they have registered and address or phone number but not show the information. If they can block adult birth years, they can block showing the specific number or email address while still allowing emails and phone numbers to be used. In other words, the YW adult president doesn't truly need to know the individual's email, she can click on an individual youth's icon to send an email or she can click on a "Send to all YW" icon, yet the specific information is not revealed to that, or any other leader. If a YM adult leader needs to call the Teacher's Quorum Secretary, he can click an icon that gives the options of "Call Brigham Young" or "Text Brigham Young" without revealing the specific phone number. I feel this new communication tool does not do enough to protect the youth's information. If they want to give a leader their specific email or phone number, they (hopefully, with counsel from their parents) can choose whether or not to do so. But truly, if the membership is trained and urged to use the LDS Tools or the LDS.org website, I see no reason for them to be granted access to individual's specific contact information if they are under the age of 18. Unfortunately, I have lived in a ward where an adult leader became "too close" to many of the YW before someone finally blew the whistle. This leader decided to take his own life rather than face the consequences of his actions. Others may think I am overprotective, but I would be much more comfortable with these new upgrades if children's individual information was more protected. Presently I live in a ward where the RS has a Yahoo group for non-church related questions, discussions, alerts, etc. But they are also using it as the main method of spreading church related information that should be going through the Church's website using the email auxiliary, or news & information options. Honestly, they didn't know that the website can do this. No one has trained them. The YW and YM auxiliaries are doing the same thing--using personal emails and creating groups rather than using the Church website capabilities for contacting youth. This makes me nervous and I would like to see the future upgrades do something about not showing under 18-year-olds specific information. Allow them to sign up to receive YM or YW emails, but the leaders and other adults don't need to see the specifics to send notices or get information. I'm slightly on edge that leaders are coming up to my daughter and asking her for her cell phone number and her email address. They shouldn't need to ask and they should be trained to not even WANT to ask. There is a layer of not just privacy here--but of protection for both the youth as well as the adult.
jdlessley
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#2

Post by jdlessley »

Balancing the need for privacy and providing effective communications is not as easy as some would like to believe.
cajunbelle70663 wrote:I have noticed that when using Apps, YM & YW's email addresses and phone numbers show. I would rather see the icon indicating that they have registered and address or phone number but not show the information. If they can block adult birth years, they can block showing the specific number or email address while still allowing emails and phone numbers to be used.
The Church does not provide an e-mail client when e-mails are initiated from the directory. Rather the default e-mail client of the sender is used. So when someone clicks an e-mail link the e-mail address of the addressee will always be revealed to the sender in some manner. It cannot be hidden. To do so requires the creation and sending of e-mail messages outside the control of the sender. This would require the e-mail client services to be hosted on a server under the control of the Church. The Church does not currently have the resources to host e-mail client services.

The methodology for telephone communications as you describe is called VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Skype is a common service using this technology. One limiting issue to implement telephone communication as you describe is that this technology requires the initiator of the call over the internet to have voice hardware on the computer from which the call is initiated. The most significant limiting factor in implementation is that for the Church to provide this service for every Church member would be cost prohibitive.

There is an option for a personal e-mail address, personal telephone number, or both to be blocked from the directory. Any adult member of a household can edit the profile of the household to block those e-mail addresses or telephone numbers of any member of the household if they so desire.

The Church has provided the methodology to either display e-mail addresses and telephone numbers or to hide them in the directory. It is left up to the parents and guardians of minor children to decide what they feel is appropriate for their circumstances.
cajunbelle70663 wrote:Presently I live in a ward where the RS has a Yahoo group for non-church related questions, discussions, alerts, etc. But they are also using it as the main method of spreading church related information that should be going through the Church's website using the email auxiliary, or news & information options. Honestly, they didn't know that the website can do this. No one has trained them. The YW and YM auxiliaries are doing the same thing--using personal emails and creating groups rather than using the Church website capabilities for contacting youth.
This is an entirely separate issue that has been an ongoing discussion in multiple threads in these forums. In short, the Church has policies and procedures covering the use of the internet for Church units and organizations as well as for the use of the internet in individual callings. It is the responsibility of local leaders to ensure they as well as the members for whom they have charge are aware of and are adhering to those policies.
JD Lessley
Have you tried finding your answer on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Help Center or Tech Wiki?
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