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I violate my kid's "privacy" all the time. My 14-year-old son's Facebook, Myspace and internet use is open to my snooping whenever I feel like it. He is also only allowed to use the computer in the living room where we can look over his shoulder at anytime. His mobile phone is subject to the same rules.
As I see it, his actions on the Internet are no different than what he would do if he was hanging out with his friends and you can be sure I would be checking out who he was hanging out with. I have to ask, would you trust your 10 or 12 year old to go hang out at a club unsupervised?
I don't plan on being this way past his 16th or 17th birthday. I think it is important to provide guidelines and expectations and then follow up on them.
I should also add that we talk about online saftey and smarts... just like talking to your kids about street smarts.
I want to give him as much information about things as possible, I want him to be able to look after himself and take responsibility for his actions online the same way I expect him to do this in meatspace.
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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke
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