Parental dilemma: Whether to spy on their kids
For many parents, one of the toughest decisions is whether to spy on a child's computer and cell phone activity. It's common for some children to send more than 100 text messages a day, and a recent Associated Press-MTV poll found that about one-quarter of teens had shared sexually explicit photos, videos and chat by cell phone or online.
Walsh, the Minneapolis psychologist, says the best initial step for parents concerned about online risks is a heart-to-heart talk with the child, with monitoring used as a contingency measure only if there's clear justification.
"If it does make sense to use some spyware, I would never do that in secret way," said Walsh, whose own three children are now adults. "Tell your children you'll check on them from time to time. Just that knowledge can be effective."
Mary Kozakiewicz disagrees, saying deployment of spyware must be kept secret.
"You can't let them know it's there, or they'll do it at a friend's house," she said.
Indeed, one of the challenges for some parents is a technology gap — their children may have more savvy about cyberspace and an ability to thwart various spyware tactics.
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