What Constant Surveillance Is Doing to Children

Re:What Constant Surveillance Is Doing to Children by graemep on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @01:42PM (#50444389)

I did not go so far, but things were not as bad when mine were younger (the younger one is 18 now). We did not have a TV, and for a long time they had desktops, and they got phones are teenagers.

It has got crazy. I recently read an article by a journalist whose son had just started university who was watching his tracking app and worrying when he did not get out of bed on time. There are Whatsapp groups for parents at some universities - apparently discussing your now adult child with a group of strangers is normal.

I think the perception that kids (or adults!) need constant entertainment is also harmful.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:What Constant Surveillance Is Doing to Children by SoftTalker on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @03:33PM (#50445923)

When my kids went away to college it was something of a relief. They were on their own. I would not know where they were, who they were with, how late they were staying out, or any of the stuff I was much more aware of when they were living at home.

I never GPS tracked them even when they were younger. I didn't read their email or text messages, I didn't lurk on their school website checking grades every day. If a teacher or administrator emailed me, I'd deal with that, but otherwise I tried to let them learn to run their lives. They made some mistakes. That's how you grow.

[ Parent | on HN ]