Can Parents Control Their Children’s Social Networks?
Social networks have become a worldwide social phenomenon that has changed the way we not only communicate, but also live. For parents, however, all this can result in a big headache and it is inevitable to ask themselves if they can control their children’s social networks.
In fact, it is completely normal for children and adolescents to feel the need to belong to some virtual community that their friends are also a part of. It is equally natural for parents to allow it. However, it is essential to exercise some form of control over the use of technology and social networks, due to the risk they entail.
This is not always an easy task. On the contrary, conflicts can arise between parents and children. Most teens do not accept that their parents are checking their messages or their social networks.
The question is, can parents monitor their children’s Internet activities without their consent? In the following lines, we will present some elements for reflection on the control that parents must exercise over their children’s social networks.
How to control the movement in social networks of a teenage child?
Parental interference in adolescent children’s social networks always causes conflict. And, if parents try to impose themselves, in extreme cases, to prohibit its use, young people can easily find a way to break the rule, opening a secret account or changing their privacy settings.
On the other hand, social networks do not have only negative aspects. They are also a good opportunity for children to learn to socialize and build a group of friends. The best solution is to control the activity of adolescent children, but without reducing it. It is necessary to place some limits on this activity, in order to know how far it extends.
It all also depends on the age of the child. When children start using social networks, it is advisable to establish times and limits. Equally important is to give them advice and explain some things to them about the dangers present. For example, it is very useful for parents to be part of the child’s contacts in social networks.
The ideal is to find a compromise whereby children have enough confidence to share their movements within the network with their parents and gradually become responsible for using it. Parents, for their part, must respect the privacy of their children and gradually establish certain control rules.
A progressive autonomy
The concept of progressive autonomy represents an idea that is increasingly present in educational models generally recommended by experts in the sector. According to this thought, every child has the right to develop their private life, to enjoy their intimacy and to communicate without being arbitrarily interfered with, and parents should respect this right.
While for many this concept implies the prohibition for parents to control their children’s social networks, the underlying topic is, in reality, much broader. It is about the importance of media education and the integration of digital technologies in the daily lives of children and adolescents.
It is clear that prohibiting or controlling the use of social networks by teenagers is an almost impossible undertaking. The boys, in fact, will always find some strategy to circumvent this control. The real concern should be to strengthen the skills of parents and adults in general. It is about acting as intermediaries in the use of social networks.
Do parents have the right to control their children’s social networks without their consent?
During the adolescent period, most young people move away from their parents to seek refuge among groups of friends. And this, at times, can generate some concern in parents. Parents may, for example, suspect that their children have some problems.
Faced with this kind of situations, being responsible for the care and protection of their children, parents have the right to adopt strategies to know their private life, in order to know what is happening and thus be able, if necessary, to intervene.
Provided that it is carried out with the well-being of their children in mind, this control action by the parents is justified, and includes the control of social networks, WhatsApp messages, etc.
