This issue is the devastating effects of technology. By now it is not only the Charedi world that sees this. The entire world does. It is no longer our issue alone as religious Jews. It is an issue plaguing the entire world. Although the focus of concern might be different I think it is fair to say that the all challenges technology pose are real for everyone. Whether it involves accessing porn; addiction to social media, or the ease and frequency of young people being bullied. And that just scratches the surface. Especially with the advances made recently by AI (Artificial Intelligence) with the potential to defraud even the most intelligent people.
These are all legitimate concerns that need to be dealt with in the most effective way possible. Which in my view ought to involve a collaborative effort of every community in the world. Especially a community like ours where technology is so easily available and so widespread.
The Charedi community keeps doubling down on avoiding all technology as the best solution. I have always felt that this was the wrong approach because of the obvious many benefits that technology provides. Some of which are increasingly becoming necessities in order to function in the 21st century. Technology that seem to be advancing at an exponential level making it even more essential.
Perhaps a better reason to not rely on bans is that they don’t work. Mishlei (9:17) tells us Mayim Genuvim Yimtaku - stolen waters are sweet. The more things are banned the more people will be want them and to find ways to have them.
There may be a lot of people that will heed a ban. But there will be a lot of people that won’t. Some overtly and some secretly. This is already happening. Many Charedim (Chasidim included) have 2 phones. A kosher phone that cannot access the internet which they use in public. And one that can which they keep secret and use when no one is looking.
That will not change no matter how harsh they might make penalties for those caught with technology. Or how much more invasive their ways of finding violators are. What they might get instead is the potential for an increase in the number of Charedim going OTD. In immense proportion. Is this the result they are looking for?
The latest gathering about the dangers of technology and what to do about it was just held by Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak. As noted in VIN:
Thousands of people gathered at the Vizhnitz Beis Midrash in Bnei Brak on Motzaei Shabbos to strengthen their resolve to totally shun all items associated with internet technology. The rally, an annual event in recent years, was led by Rabbi Tzvi Moshe Zilberberg, the head of the Nahalas Yaakov group in Jerusalem.
The crowd included members of all denominations, including Chasidim, Lithuanian and Religious Zionist participants. Tens of buses from all over the country were hired to bring people to the rally. The speeches were in Yiddish but with simultaneous translation to headphones without use of internet.
Rabbi Zilberberg emphasized that more boundaries need to be set in Torah schools regarding the protection from technology. Rabbi Tzvi Meir shared that he receives thousands of letters requesting advice on how to be more careful with technology.
In his speech, Rabbi Tzvi Meir Zilberberg stressed that nothing helps, no filter or screening; the only solution is complete abstinence from technology.
That Chasidim like those of Vizhnitz shun the modern world is not a secret. Their way of life is the most isolated of all Orthodox segments. Their lives are more structured and their way of life is almost exclusively determined by their Chasidic Rebbe. Their contact with the outside world is on an ‘as needed’ basis. Meaning that if that is the only way they can make a living, they may. Or if for example they need medical care not available ‘in house’, they can seek it on the outside. So Vizhnitz may think they have a better shot at banning it all. But it hasn't worked yet and it won’t work now. And it certainly won’t work in the less isolated communities represented at that event.
I know they have good intentions. The tragic examples they spoke about were real and they want to prevent it from ever again. What they don’t realize is that the rest of the world agrees with them. But they are smart enough to know that banning all technology from the world will not work and in any case a total ban would be as ridiculous as banning telephones - if not more so.
This doesn't mean things cannot be done to improve the situation. Including an actual ban on bringing smart phones to school through high school. Or legislating against social media companies allowing access to anyone under a certain age (say... 18?). Although that will surely not solve all the problems, it will solve some of them. Point being that rather than making rules that won’t work even communities as isolated as Vizhnitz, they ought to try and work with the rest of the world that cares about these issues too. Because doubling down on something that has never worked is literally insane.