Digital Monitoring: Parents and Teens

The technology increases over the past twenty years have brought information and access to the masses with things such as the internet and cellular telephones. These revolutionary pieces of technology have continued leading to further progress with software and applications used for social media and communication. Although these advancements have a positive impact on multiple facets of society, with increased knowledge and access comes increased responsibility. Unfortunately for parents, that is one thing teenagers don’t always seem to have a firm grasp on during the transitionary period between childhood and the future as an adult. Increasing the gravity of the situation is that the increased access is available to all individuals, including those who are dangerous or having ill intentions. Parents of the Millennial generation remember what it was like before this type of access and technology was available, but their children have been familiar with these things their entire lives. As these children demand increasing independence in their adolescent years, parents are forced to decide how much privacy and freedom to give their teenagers, not only when venturing out with friends, but exploring the worldwide digital community that is available to them twenty-four hours a day.

Digital Device Availability

There are numerous devices that allow digital access of different types. The iPod was one of the early digital devices designed to be able to access and purchase digital music content. This soon evolved to include the ability to communicate through digital platforms and additional applications designed for the device. Although original designed as music device, the iPod is now capable of communicating with other devices and users. This capability takes the device to a different level of access. The cellular telephone has been available for quite some time, however, in recent years the technology available within the handheld device has evolved rapidly with the cellular phone becoming a standard among many age groups. Gone are the days of the PDA for business purposes and in comes the smart phone, capable of completing nearly everything a traditional computer can do at home. The addition of tablets, such as the Apple 

iPad, the Amazon Kindle, and the Microsoft Surface, makes technology available on the go, in an even sleeker form than the traditional lap top. Currently it is estimated that a significant percentage of teens aged 13 to 17 have immediate access to these types of technology through their parents with 94% of homes having a desktop or laptop computer, 76% of households owning a smartphone, and 68% of homes utilizing a tablet or other handheld digital device (Anderson). Many of these devices are primarily utilized by the parents within the household, access is available. Additionally, the necessity to use these types of digital devices for educational purposes is increasing. These devices have become part of everyday life in a large majority of families and this leaves parents with decisions to make in the best interest of their teen. This is compounded by the fact that by students are familiar with the computer and the internet through computer programs at the school.

Many schools are also requiring students to lease or purchase an iPad for learning functionality with experts claiming that long term financial savings will outweigh the cost can be customized for learning (Wainwright).  However, the ability to secure both a wireless connection and prevent the device from accessing inappropriate content is a monumental task as the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) found out when the LAUSD tried to roll out an iPad program which would have supplied nearly 600,000 students with iPads. The educationally ambitious program was initially praised, it soon turned into a lawsuit with students accessing inappropriate material and teachers unable to access their lessons completely (Tynan-Wood). 

Digital Monitoring Methodology

Depending on the style of parenting approach has been taken there are many ways to monitor digital technology. There are two types of monitoring: passive and pro-active. The difference between the two is the rigidity, design, and focus on prevention. The passive approach would include speaking with the teen about limitations and potentially checking in on their digital activity from time to time. The pro-active method is a defensive strategy with the goal being to prevent unwanted behaviors. According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, having younger children may encourage parents to be more active in the process, however there is no significant difference between the methods by which parents choose to monitor and the age within the study range (Anderson).  Overall, the study revealed that a total of 61% of parents reported using at least one of these methods to monitor their child’s activity (Anderson). These types of monitoring methods are utilized to different degrees nationwide. The occurrence of different monitoring strategies is available in Table 1. In complete contrast to these findings, a study completed by Dartmouth University revealed that almost 80% of teens reported that either their parents had set no restrictions or they had found a way to get around any blocking or monitoring in place. The discrepancy between the results of the two studies is significant and at the very least could be cause for serious discussion between parents and their teens. 

(Table 1 omitted for preview. Available via download).

Digital Applications and Crime

There is a nearly endless amount of potential exposure to content and communication which could be concerning for parents.  The number of platforms for interaction are almost as numerous with social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr and chat apps such as Snap Chat, Hangouts, and Kik as some of the most commonly used by teens. The majority of these applications allow individuals to communicate and send pictures to anyone with an internet connection. This becomes more dangerous as teens get older according to research published by the American Psychological Association. 

In a study of online activity and crime involving adolescents aged 12-17, it was the teens aged 15-17 who were most likely to be victimized due to an increased tendency to take risks involving privacy and contact with strangers (Wolak et al.).  However, Wolak et al. also found that use of social media sites and blogs was not related to the increase in crime, even if teens were actively meeting new people, alternatively the use of instant messaging applications and chat rooms was directly linked to the occurrence of sexually inappropriate solicitations. This information has led to the introduction of an abundant amount of technology offering to assist in controlling exposure and monitoring digital activity.

Digital Monitoring Technology

There are many services and devices that provide this option for parents when looking to control their teens technology access and digital behavior. Online platforms such as uknowkids.com offer active and real-time monitoring capabilities for social media and the monitoring of mobile phone communications on Android devices including text messages, call history, app usage, photographs, and internet activity. If teens have an Apple device, parents can use TeenSafe which allows them to see SMS and iMessages, even if their child has deleted them. The uknowkids.com and TeenSafe applications also allow for GPS tracking to locate the teen with the device. Unfortunately neither application allows for the viewing of pictures or videos sent via text or iMessage due to privacy and content concerns. 

Discussing the subject of monitoring access to a teen’s online digital communication can be a sensitive subject when it comes to these types of applications. It is because of this reason that many monitoring applications and services make it possible to view a teens activity without their knowledge. Applications set up the device and connect the device to an online parent portal which allows them to view the information without any notification being sent to the user of the device. Parents and guardians are able to legally monitor children this way as long as they are paying the bill and the teen is under the age of eighteen. This is a passive strategy, but also one that would seemingly combat the issue brought forth in the Dartmouth study indicating that a large majority of teens either did not believe they were being monitored or had found a way to get around limitations set by their parents.

As a whole, digital monitoring is becoming a normal topic of discussion in the academic world and has made its way into the majority of households in the United States. The methods of monitoring teen digital access have improved drastically giving parents access to nearly everything their teen is doing online or through their mobile devices. Ultimately it is a family decision if or how digital activity monitoring will occur. Although crime statistics point to some particularly risky online behaviors the world wide web is a place without many rules. Access to information an increased dramatically, influencing education and allowing teens to explore and learn about a myriad of positive things. However, along with all the benefits come the inherent risk of exploring new territory and meeting new people. It is up to parents how they want to handle this constantly changing opportunity and their teens access to devices and applications. The one thing that is not going to change is the increasing use of the internet capable digital devices.

Works Cited

Anderson, Monica. "How Parents Monitor Their Teen’S Digital Behavior". Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 July 2016. http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/01/07/how-parents-monitor-their-teens-digital-behavior/

Dartmouth University. Stop Cyber-Bullying Before It Starts. 1st ed. Hanover: N.p., 2016. Web. 31 July 2016. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~eap/library/cyberbullying.pdf

'E-Grounding' Parents' New Disciplinary Weapon". NPR. N.p., 2010. Web. 15 July 2016. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129727769

TeenSafe,. "Teensafe And PTA, Together Helping Families Stay Safe And Connected". Teensafe - Protecting Your Most Valuable Treasure. N.p., 2016. Web. 31 July 2016. http://www.teensafe.com/home/?utm_source=broadspring&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign

Tynan-Wood, Christina. "Ipads In The Classroom: The Promise And The Problems | Greatkids". GreatKids. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 July 2016. http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/ipad-technology-in-the-classroom/

uKnow.com "Protect Kids From Sexting & Other Dangers With Uknowkids". Digital parenting tools: social, location and mobile monitoring. N.p., 2016. Web. 31 July 2016. https://www.uknowkids.com/uh-oh-mom-dad/

Wainwright, Ashley. "Effects Of Ipads In The Classroom On Elementary Education". Secure Networks. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 July 2016. http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/Effects-of-iPads-in-the-Classroom-on-Elementary-Education

Wolak, Janis et al. "Online "Predators" And Their Victims: Myths, Realities, And Implications For Prevention And Treatment.". American Psychologist 63.2 (2008): 111-128. Web. 31 July 2016. http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-632111.pdf