In April 2020, Watch Tower performed a controlled release of a video entitled, “Choose Your Apps Wisely”. It was shown at congregation meetings around the world. It has not been published on jw.org for public viewing. The video is a manipulative attempt to control members mobile app choices.
The 150 second video begins by asking if viewers are confused by the number of JW Apps in the mobile app store. The narrator suggests that maybe a brother or sister showed them an app that “works great”. He then says that some look like they are designed for Jehovah’s Witnesses but are not provided by the Faithful and Discreet Slave.
Then with an icon that is similar to a nuke warning symbol flashing on a screen, with a siren wailing in the background, he asks what dangers are there to using “unauthorized” apps for mobile devices. He goes on to list two requirements before downloading such apps:
- Know the source of the information it provides.
- Ensure that it comes from the Faithful and Discreet Slave.
His second requirement dictates that Jehovah’s Witnesses must not use any app that is not approved by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This is a manipulative technique to control Jehovah’s Witnesses’ app choices.
He then claims that some apps have low quality information that only partially correct. He then goes on to say that if it is only 10% correct, it is 100% misleading. Again, this is also a manipulative technique. There are very apps or websites that contain content that is so poorly researched. It is easily to state that content is only 10% correct is 100% misleading, but it is not so easy to claim that well-researched content that is 100% misleading, because such a claim would itself be misleading.
He then says that some apps may even be written by those who intentionally promote false information with a malicious intent. At no point does he provide examples of such apps. Instead, he describes such ones as “birdcatchers” described by Jeremiah as setting a deadly trap. He gives the impression that there are those who want to harm Jehovah’s Witnesses, which may be less than 10% correct. If it’s 10% correct, it’s …
The narrator of the video moves on to websites and discusses those that are “not sponsored by the faithful and discreet slave”. He says that “anyone can put anything on the internet”. He flashes up the nuke warning symbol with the wailing siren and says that such websites can expose Jehovah’s Witnesses to “apostate ideas”. It would seem that apostate ideas are comparable to getting a dose of lethal radiation. But one should ask, what exactly are apostate ideas? He doesn’t say. He quickly moves on to personal data and how it can put one’s identity at risk if they populate their personal details into a web form. In fairness, this is a strawman fallacy, as there are billions of websites that ask for personal information so that they can process their data in a manner that helps them respond to even the simplest of matters, including general requests.
To further reinforce the idea that no apps must be used by Jehovah’s Witnesses except those authorized by the Governing Body, he says that before using such apps, they should ask themselves:
- Have I seen this app or website mentioned in Jehovah’s Witness publications?
- Has the Governing Body specifically recommended that we use it?
It’s no wonder that this video was not publicly released on jw.org. It shows the very controlling nature of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and that of the organization that disseminates information to the religious group. It reveals too that the Governing Body are very worried about their followers discovering their true nature. If the organization has nothing to hide, it should have no fear of Jehovah’s Witnesses accessing information that is not authorized by the Faithful and Discreet Slave.
The Governing Body and the organization are really pushing Jehovah’s Witnesses to only access the “spiritual food” that they provide, and to avoid accessing anything that may harm their only source of donations.
ALERT! has a copy of the video discussed in this report.