A generation ago, watching television shows was merely a choice of whatever was available on a handful of channels at a set point in time. Today, the majority of households have access to a multitude of television shows, films and other video content via online streaming services, allowing people to choose virtually whatever they want to watch, whenever they like, and to watch it wherever they like. The list of streaming services available is continuing to grow, as is the volume of content available.

But the near-limitless range of material available through streaming services, combined with their immense accessibility, also presents some important challenges, particularly for parents. One such challenge is the habit of “binge-watching” or allowing the multitude of content available to dominate one’s time. In his message for the 49th World Communications Day in 2015, Pope Francis warned that:

“The media can be a hindrance if they become a way to avoid listening to others, to evade physical contact, to fill up every moment of silence and rest.”

Message of Pope Francis for the 49th World Communications Day.

A few years later, in 2019, the Pope reiterated his warning, saying that “There is the dangerous phenomenon of young people becoming ‘social hermits’ who risk alienating themselves completely from society”.

Below are some articles, websites and resources that explore how the Church can best engage with this form of new media, and how parents can successfully navigate the world of streaming services.

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