One of the study authors suggests that social network websites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace could be a reason for these troubling statistics. Facebook’s userbase doubled in the last 10 months, to more than 200 billion.

Study authors note other technology reasons for this trend. Many youth now have cell phones, resulting in less family contact.  The number of televisions in homes has multiplied, allowing more “individual” TV watching. Internet use has increased for adults and youth. While TV watching can be a “social” activity, Internet activity is usually one-on-one and replaces other types of family activity (Yahoo Tech News, June 15, 2009).

God warned that in the last days knowledge would increase while people run to and fro (Daniel 12:4). Technology is exciting, helpful, but also potentially destructive if not controlled. God created families with the intent of conveying godly knowledge and values from parents and grandparents to children (Deuteronomy 4:9), but when families spend less time together, this vitally-important process is diminished. 

If we are not careful, God’s people can easily fall prey to these complicated wiles of Satan the Devil—the master family destroyer. We cannot allow technology to further divide our families. God prophesied of a time when He would again turn the hearts of parents to children and children to families (Malachi 4:6). This time is increasingly needed as society goes in the opposite direction from Him.