Half of British Parents 'Cyber Snoop' On Their Kids
Over half (55 per cent) of British parents admit to regularly using Facebook to snoop on their child, with 20 per cent logging in to their child’s Facebook account to read their private messages.
The survey, conducted by OnePoll to coincide with the DVD release of Meet the Parents - Little Fockers, also reveals that over a quarter (27 per cent) of paranoid parents believe that their children are keeping secrets from them.
Almost one in five (19 per cent) parents feels the need to spy on their kids because they don’t trust their current partner, with almost a quarter (24 per cent) confessing to hating their son or daughter in-law.
Mums are 20 per cent more likely than dads to nosey on their kids. However, dads are more protective, being three times more likely to secretly follow their child on a night out.
The nosiest parents in the UK can be found in Northern Ireland with almost two thirds (65 per cent) admitting to have spied on their children.
Welsh parents are the most relaxed with just over a quarter (26 per cent) admitting to snooping.
Top five most popular parental 'snooping' methods:
Snooping Method
1 Checked their Facebook account
2 Read their text messages
3 Secretly listened to their phone calls
4 Logged into their email account
5 Called their friends’ or partner’s parents
Family and youth consultant, Sarah Newton, comments: "Despite having the best intentions to value their child’s privacy, it’s only natural for parents to worry about what they’re getting up to.
"In Meet the Parents - Little Fockers, ex-CIA Jack Byrnes uses Google to spy on his son in-law Greg Focker. This research reveals his methods are not so unusual in everyday life, with parents opting for sites like Facebook to secretly check up on their offspring."
The No.1 comedy blockbuster, Meet the Parents - Little Fockers, is released by Paramount Home Entertainment on Blu-ray Double Play and DVD on 18th April, 2011
Tagged in Parenting