Halanna

So, I've been thinking about this topic this morning. It came up during a visit with family yesterday.

During this little family soiree, someone mentioned their teenage daughter and myspace. How they are concerned, don't like it, are worried, you get the general track this was on.

The answer was obvious to me, or so it appeared. Log onto the myspace account when she's not home to check out what's going on and/or physically go there and remove the page, and not allow her to have a myspace account. Simple. The response to my saying this was . . unexpected.

After saying the above and relating how I check what my son (he's 16) is doing online on a semi-regular basis, have all his username/passwords, etc. I was accused of not respecting my son's privacy. (that sounds really harsh, this wasn't a knock down drag out, just a discussion)

My husband of course agrees with me. We were like, privacy? He doesn't need privacy. There isn't anything that he should be doing that we can't see. We don't abuse it, I'm not logging into his MSN Messenger every day, or his myspace. Just once in a while, usually when I think about it, which isn't that often. It's more that he knows I could at any time.

So, this person is concerned about her daughter's myspace account, but won't do anything about it because it's an invasion of her privacy.

Whereas, it would appear I am being too overprotective and invading my son's privacy, but I don't have any concerns about him being online, I can see for myself that he's not doing anything that he shouldn't.

So where does the teen's right to privacy end and the parent's right to protect begin?

edit: beecuse I spel gud