Happiest, Rabbonim and Hatzalo members do not text on Shabbos, They will however answer an emergency call. Kids who are texting are texting to their friends. Kids who are on the computer are on the computer as they are any other day of the week. It is very nice to try to be dan l’kaf z’chus. But on the other hand we have to understand that these kids are hurting inside for some reason and they are turning away from yiddishkeit. They are looking for loopholes to break the rules and ONE aveirah makes it easier to do the next. So when you look for an excuse, loophole, heter to allow them this or explain it away you only make it easier for them to do the next aveirah.
When a girl buys her first “iffy” skirt that exactly cover the knee completely but it is not above the knee. It is really questionable and she allows herself to let it go. If she feels ok in it and wears it then the next time she will buy that type again and maybe even go shorter. She got used to it and the second time will be easier, and the third time she won’t even give it a second thought.
The first time the kids chew treif gum, they are not sure. The second time they still feel a little queasy, the third time they are already sharing it with someone else telling them that gum doesn’t count.
If you catch these kids early enough as they are floundering and testing the waters you can save them from going down that dark journey. If you look at them as lost souls or “bad kids” and give up on them right away, or judge them, or masser on them and cause them all kinds of consequences and predicaments throwing them to the wolves, you are throwing them away like yesterday’s garbage.
The point is that it is wrong to be looking for technicalities and making excuses for why it can be OK. It really is NOT ok. It is NOT Shabbosdik behavior and to try and figure out why it might NOT be assur on Shabbos and therefor might be permitted and they might not be oiver a halacha is just pushing them into more dangerous territories. Well if texting is permitted then the cell phone is general is permitted so I can call my friends on shabbos. And as long as I leave it plugged in it won’t run out of battery so that’s not a problem. And if the computer is not a problem then I can listen to my music through the computer all shabbos, and email, and buy things because I am not exchanging money, my credit card is already on my account, etc., etc, etc. And I get menucha from shopping, etc. Where does it stop?