Do children need privacy?

Due to the internet and a number of gadgets available. Children have abundant access to all kinds of content available the internet has to offer. 

They could be in conversation with strangers from all over the world, interacting with people who have a online username as ID, on game sites and forums. Exposure to certain types of material which is unsuitable for them. 

We are not oblivious to the threats and risks the internet poses, especially for children. However we need to question, despite the risks - do children need privacy or should parents be able to monitor their children's activities fully and at all times?

1. Children feel that they need privacy as it's their step into adulthood. They may feel that their secrets are exposed or fear being exposed or made fun off. The children may feel they are not in control of themselves. 

2. Some people will be more on the opposite thinking spectrum to the point 1. above and feel that a parent raising their child should be aware of what is happening in their child's life to protect them from harm. 

If parents have put a gadget in a child's hand, they must take the responsibility of taking action before anything ensues. 

So without me adding more content to the two opposing ideologies, I would like to put this debate to you. 

Should parents have full control or should children be allowed privacy?

Rules that give one person power over another person should be as limited as possible. Good parents have the skills to earn their children's trust, and bad parents shouldn't be given more power to do harm.

The issue of children's privacy is in the news a lot, with politicians trying to score points with religious bigots by eliminating confidentiality from counselling at school. The issue is framed as "parents' right to know" or "conversations at home," ignoring the truth that children are always free to include their parents if they feel safe doing so.

There are abusive parents who will isolate their at-risk children from outsiders who offer lifesaving support, and thus society needs policies that protect the privacy of all children in safe spaces like school, community centres, or public libraries. Policies that allow children to seek advice from professionals with confidentiality cannot prevent good parents from initiating a conversation at home. The obstacle is usually the parents' discomfort with subjects that children encounter among their peers and on the internet.

The children that I know have natural curiosity, and when their questions are answered honestly, even with "I don't know" or "I made a mistake," they feel safer than when the answer is "You're too young to think about that!" or "Don't look at those disgusting people!"

From a young age, children should be trained to recognize whom to trust and whom to distrust. "Never talk to strangers" is advice that misguides a lost child to stay hidden or run away from people trying to help. Instead, parents should teach children to ask for help from strangers who aren't alone, such as families or people in police uniform. Similarly, adolescent children shouldn't be discouraged from using India Forums etc. just because they will stumble upon body shaming, chauvinistic Hindi TV situations, abuse-glorifying or sexually explicit fiction, a real-life murder video in a global announcement etc. Children should be trained that if they find something unfamiliar or disturbing, they can tell their parents or school counsellors and ask if it is true.

Kids who are too young today will be old enough to access content legally before you know it, and by then, will their attitudes already be shaped by illegal access, or will they be naïve because their guardians said nothing? As much as I try to do my part to prevent harmful and age-inappropriate content from reaching kids, I recognize the futility of shaming and spying on kids, which only makes forbidden fruit more tempting. To give kids the resources to handle what they accidentally find should be our priority.

Right! Parents should earn children's trust and children will decide whether to include parents on any/all matters of importance, if/when they feel like it.

Rules that give one person power over another person should be as limited as possible, BUT, at the same time, 'bad" parents (criteria to define a bad parent is pending) shouldn't be given more power (by who? government?) to do harm.

There are abusive parents at homes but no abusive peers or teachers or staff at schools or community centers (?) or libraries (?). Question marks because this statement pertains to only parts of the western world and has nothing to do with, say, the Indian subcontinent.

Children should be encouraged to ask for help from strangers who aren't alone, such as families, because, well, children are experts who can spot "families" from a mile away.

As for inappropriate content, hmm, let's see, if you don't give it to them, they will access it anyway, so, um, give it to them! This is how you earn their trust!!

In order to curtail archaic notions peddled by far right extremists and religious bigots who place undue importance on racist subjects such as math and science instead of critical studies (that power economies and growth later on) such as race and gender, it is absolutely imperative to keep meddlesome parents out of the schools. It is ludicrous to think that these ignorant Neo-Nazi parents know more about their children and care about their kids' well-being than the saints in schools who are tirelessly working to, erm, indoctrinate them.

Orthodox concepts like discipline, structure and long term planning by parents should be criminalized. Other than caring, nurturing and paying for kids’ expenses, parents should have no say in their children’s lives.

Any parent who dares to question the goings on behind closed doors in schools should be doxxed at a minimum and, where possible, activists funded by the likes of Soros should issue death threats online or in person. Repeat offenders should lose their jobs and be jailed so that other Neo-Nazi parents think twice before questioning the authorities. This of course conforms to the values we originally established which is "Rules that give one person power over another person should be as limited as possible".

Originally posted by: carisma2

Should parents have full control or should children be allowed privacy?

Answer depends on the age of the child (4 or younger, pre-teen, adolescent etc.)

Without over-complicating it, I would like to say that parents should basically limit kids' tech use depending upon the age group. There should be limits on screen time for Wi-Fi access on smartphones, content restriction filters on internet searches (appropriateness as decided by the parent), an approved list of contacts on social media and so on. As they're turning to 16 or 17, parents should learn to let go of control and basically take an advisory role after they turn 18.