Elder Quentin L. Cook recently said that the internet and social media ­­contribute much good to modern society, but can also distract people from accomplishing their true calling in mortal life. That was part of the message he delivered at a worldwide devotional for young adults on September 11, 2016.

“My earnest plea is that all of us will evaluate how and when we use the internet and social media,” he said. “The bright-line test should be: Does it assist our other worthy and important goals, or does it seriously impede our progress? Are we obsessed with social media for fear of missing out if we don’t check it constantly? Does the self-promotion of some social media cause us to have self-doubt and feel inadequate?

“Worse yet, does the internet lead us to images and content that is impure, inappropriate, or contains half-truths that destroy faith? Do we ever hide our identity and subject others to unkind comments or opinions? Does social media interfere with the time we would normally spend with religious observance in the home or quality family time? Is the amount of time spent on the internet with games and trivia preventing us from effectively pursuing serious goals? These are decisions I challenge each of us to contemplate, make adjustments, and repent where necessary to bless our lives.”

Elder Cook left the young adults with an additional thought on the subject. “We hear a lot about being authentic in social media,” he said. “Being sincerely Christlike is an even more important goal than being authentic.”