Parents are the foundations of a child’s success and welfare, whether they choose to monitor their teens or not. The introduction of surveillance, especially online, has allowed parents to easily track their children's activities in this modern era. In the newspaper article “The Undercover Parents” (2008), Harlan Coben informs parents that using spyware is a good tool in monitoring teens’ activities but also suggests that parents do not make their surveilling a secret. In another newspaper article, “Big Brother Meets Big Mother” (2007), Ellen Goodman criticizes overprotective helicopter parents who use spyware to monitor their teen’s every activity because it prevents the teens from being independent and having privacy. To illustrate the best
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In order to avoid the dangers, parents should monitor the teens frequently because it would help them become aware of online threats. Coben expresses the downfall of the lack of online supervision through real life examples of the “young boy unknowingly conversing with a pedophile or the girl who was cyber bullied to the point where she committed suicide” (8). This fact shows that if parents are unaware of the dangers online, they risk their adolescents walking right into mistakes with no guidance. Also, if parents were to monitor their child frequently, they would be always able to look out for dangers. Due to the reason that anything could happen at any moment, it is best to look out for suspicious actions than to miss it because of the lack of surveillance. Coben mocks the guardians who let the dangers happen by asking, “Would a watchful eye have helped?” (8) to show how parents overlooked hazardous activities when they decide to not surveil their adolescents. Also, Coben further supports his argument by using an allusion to compare parents to the NSA since they are using spyware in order to look out for “dangerous chatters” (11). As a result, the parents become the watchful eyes that would prevent the risks of an adolescent online. Overall, the use of monitor frequently by parents are shown to be helpful when looking out for inappropriate …show more content…
Although there are possible dangers everywhere, teens need independence and privacy to discover their own identity and make their own future-affecting choices. As Anna Quindlen once said, “Children should have enough freedom to be themselves - once they’ve learned the rules.” For me, my parents do not monitor me, but I am able to maintain my grades. Although, they don’t monitor my whereabouts they tell me their rules and I follow them. However, I cannot say the same for other people since they are raised differently. This topic is something I am passionate about because I feel that surveillance should not be used to track a child’s action but to look out for dangers. Even though my parents do not have a physical device to track me, they use their every little ability in order to keep me safe, whether by rules or a simple phone
In order to avoid the dangers, parents should monitor the teens frequently because it would help them become aware of online threats. Coben expresses the downfall of the lack of online supervision through real life examples of the “young boy unknowingly conversing with a pedophile or the girl who was cyber bullied to the point where she committed suicide” (8). This fact shows that if parents are unaware of the dangers online, they risk their adolescents walking right into mistakes with no guidance. Also, if parents were to monitor their child frequently, they would be always able to look out for dangers. Due to the reason that anything could happen at any moment, it is best to look out for suspicious actions than to miss it because of the lack of surveillance. Coben mocks the guardians who let the dangers happen by asking, “Would a watchful eye have helped?” (8) to show how parents overlooked hazardous activities when they decide to not surveil their adolescents. Also, Coben further supports his argument by using an allusion to compare parents to the NSA since they are using spyware in order to look out for “dangerous chatters” (11). As a result, the parents become the watchful eyes that would prevent the risks of an adolescent online. Overall, the use of monitor frequently by parents are shown to be helpful when looking out for inappropriate …show more content…
Although there are possible dangers everywhere, teens need independence and privacy to discover their own identity and make their own future-affecting choices. As Anna Quindlen once said, “Children should have enough freedom to be themselves - once they’ve learned the rules.” For me, my parents do not monitor me, but I am able to maintain my grades. Although, they don’t monitor my whereabouts they tell me their rules and I follow them. However, I cannot say the same for other people since they are raised differently. This topic is something I am passionate about because I feel that surveillance should not be used to track a child’s action but to look out for dangers. Even though my parents do not have a physical device to track me, they use their every little ability in order to keep me safe, whether by rules or a simple phone