Gregory is 13 years old and for Christmas his mom gave him a brand new iPhone, “You are now the proud owner of an iPhone. Hot Damn! ” is what she wrote in her blog. She also drafted an 18 point contract that Gregory must abide by as a condition of having this new technology, that has since gone viral.
The contract contains the usual break these rules and lose your privileges kind of stuff but it also has points of common sense that we wish everybody would abide by. Here are some of the finer points to ponder:
7. Do not use this technology to lie, fool, or deceive another human being. Do not involve yourself in conversations that are hurtful to others. Be a good friend first or stay the hell out of the crossfire.
8. Do not text, email, or say anything through this device you would not say in person.
10. No porn. Search the web for information you would openly share with me. If you have a question about anything, ask a person – preferably me or your father.
11. Turn it off, silence it, put it away in public. Especially in a restaurant, at the movies, or while speaking with another human being. You are not a rude person; do not allow the iPhone to change that.
12. Do not send or receive pictures of your private parts or anyone else’s private parts. Don’t laugh. Someday you will be tempted to do this despite your high intelligence. It is risky and could ruin your teenage/college/adult life. It is always a bad idea. Cyberspace is vast and more powerful than you. And it is hard to make anything of this magnitude disappear – including a bad reputation.
17. Keep your eyes up. See the world happening around you. Stare out a window. Listen to the birds. Take a walk. Talk to a stranger. Wonder without googling.
