Catching Up with Technology: How to Monitor Your Tech-Savvy Teens
School Advisor, 2006 Issue No. 3

When I was in college, I took a philosophy course where the instructor introduced a concept he referred to as “catching up.” His premise was that, at birth, each new generation was at an immediate disadvantage and had to “catch up” on the technologies that hadn’t existed for earlier generations. It’s an interesting point, but I think he had it backward. New generations don’t have any more or less to learn than older ones. Older generations, however, most certainly do have to catch up on the technologies that weren’t available when they were younger.

Case in point: When I bought my mother a DVD player for Christmas last year, her first question was, “How does it rewind?” Two days later, it was back at the store, and she was happily back to watching movies on her VCR.

The point of this is that technology is evolving so quickly that it’s difficult for parents to keep up. Teenagers, on the other hand, are embracing new technologies and, in some cases, using them in a variety of inappropriate ways. Some kids are hacking into school systems to change grades or attendance. Others are hacking into their teachers’ computers to steal tests. Still others are using camera phones to take inappropriate photos to post to websites. The technologies that give kids the tools to engage in these behaviors are becoming more sophisticated every day.

This article aims to help parents—and in some cases, educators—monitor their kids to ensure they’re using technology in an appropriate manner and not exposing themselves to unnecessary risk.

“Google” Your Kids

It’s natural to monitor your kids’ use of the family Yahoo or AOL account. Parents are less likely to look to see if their kids have a separate website. (Note: In order to get a domain name, you have to be at least 18 years old.) Google your kids’ names regularly to see if they have a website, and monitor its content.

While we say Google, you really should search for your child’s name on multiple search engines such as Alltheweb or Altavista. Each engine operates differently and as a result, you get different results with different engines. Periodically check social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. While these sites provide a convenient way to communicate and socialize, they can also expose your child to risk.

Googling your kids will alert you to whether or not they have a blog. (Short for “web log,” a blog is an online diary that’s typically updated daily.) Kids who’ve hacked into school or teacher websites often include password information in these blogs so that other students may benefit.

Internet History and E-Mail Accounts

Looking at the history in the web browser (i.e., Internet Explorer) can provide information about the sites that have been visited in the past. Be aware of what types of e-mail accounts your child has. While you may have provided an e-mail account to your child through your Internet service provider, they may have signed up for their own web-based account through Yahoo or Hotmail.

Emphasize the Consequences

Did you know that, for about $50, you can buy a device that connects to the keyboard of any desktop computer which will track every key that’s typed? This includes passwords and credit card information. In short, a user could have a computer equipped with the best security available, and there are still ways to circumnavigate it. The availability of this technology is cause for alarm. It’s important to let your children know that there are severe consequences for these kinds of activities and just because they can leverage these technologies doesn’t mean they should.

Hacking is very serious, and although there have been no instances yet, it’s only a matter of time before teens accused of these actions are tried in court as adults. (Not to mention that if they get caught at school, they’ll be expelled.) While the entertainment industry has glamorized hacking and hackers have been hired in the past, most companies will not view a criminal record in a positive light.

Monitor Cell Phones and PDAs

It’s also important to monitor multifunction devices such as cell phones and PDAs—particularly if these devices are equipped with cameras. These can be used not only for cheating but also for harassment. It’s important to communicate to your kids that these devices must be used appropriately. You may want to review the photo and text message histories from time to time to make sure that the content is appropriate.

Technology Continues to Become More Sophisticated

Technology is not slowing down; in fact, it’s becoming more sophisticated every day. For more information on what you can do to stay ahead of your technology-savvy teen, please contact Plante & Moran’s Judy Wright at 248.223.3304 or Karl Zager at 248.223.3241.