Most parents are spying on the websites their children visit, and snooping on the record of phone calls and texts their kids make, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
The new report said that parents are taking a hands-on approach to monitoring the digital footprint of their kids, aged 13-17:
— 61 percent of parents say they have checked which websites their teen visits.
— 60 percent have checked their teen’s social media profiles.
— 56 percent have friended or followed their teen on Facebook, Twitter or some other social media platform.
— 48 percent have looked through their teen’s phone call records or text messages.
What’s more, 48 percent know the password to their teen’s email account, 43 percent the phone password and 35 percent other passwords to social media accounts.
But, Pew found, parents have not handed over their responsibilities to technology. Most still believe in a good talk, and if problems arise, taking tech toys from their teens.
For example, 94 percent say they’ve talked to their teen about online behavior.
And 65 percent have taken away a cell phone as punishment.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
