The issue of parents using parental control over their children’s online activity has been around for some time. There seems to be some confusion on the parents’ part about whether or not they should do so. There are those parents who would attempt to monitor their children, but would not continue because they think that they might be intruding on their children’s rights. This results in those children becoming prey to online predators.
Internet surfing by children is not the same as their keeping diaries. A diary is private property, and access to it is restricted to the owner. The internet is a totally different thing. It is accessible to hundreds of millions of people therefore, it is not private. Parents should correct their distorted view of child privacy and provide the first line of defense for their children. Clearly, children are the most vulnerable to abuse on the internet because of their emotional and intellectual immaturity.
There is an estimated 1 million pedophiles that lurk on the internet. They never stop looking for their next victim, and your child could be it. These child molesters and sexual predators are always looking for a child that is not “on guard”. Your son or daughter is not prepared to handle the situation where they might unintentionally find themselves involved with one of these people. Parents must take control to make sure that their children’s online safety is not jeopardized.
The choice whether to tell your child that you watch his or her online activity depends on how close you are to each other. Children who are used to having open communication with you will not mind if you tell them what you are doing. The older ones are more likely to show dislike over the perceived invasion of privacy, and telling them about your monitoring could prove to be a challenge on your relationship.
Children only attain the legal right to privacy when they become 18 years old. Parents, on the other hand, have the legal duty to make certain their children are safe both on and off line. Your children, through your clarification, will recognize that you are not trying to invade their privacy. What you are doing is ensuring their safety.
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