AIM and kids?

[bla!!]

Yeah, it does allow logging, but I bet he'd turn em off.

Personally as a kid who had his parents spy on his conversations, an upfront discussion talking to him as an adult would be much more beneficial than spying on him behind his back.

I'm 21 now and as a result of my parents spying on me, we have a very distant relationship. They betrayed my trust and it takes a long time to build that back up. They spied on me when I was 16-17 and I still don't completely trust my mother.

Sit down and tell him your concerns and speak in adult terms. Don't try to sneak around and pry out information, tell him what you're concerned about and why you're concerned. Then let him talk.

 

[Tyler1989]

I bet he is the kid seeing what his parents can do to spy on him. Now there is an interesting view to things.

 

[dumdum8684]

And internet hubs/switches are not insecure? The basic routers today are hubs with extra features if you look at it in from a certain view.

Sorry to correct you again but I would just like to clarify a couple things.

Hubs are insecure because as DJ-CHRIS said they just take everything and foward it (its a little more technical but i won't get into it). It is very easy (with a packet sniffer) to capture traffic.

Hubs and switches are not the same. Hubs are less intellegent than switches.

The routers that I assume you are talking about (Linksys, D-Link, etc.) are actually routers with built in switches not hubs which makes them more secure (because they don't broadcast network traffic).

Having said that, personally I would have to agree with bla!!. I think a direct conversation (make sure its calm and collected) would be the most benificial. If at that point you don't feel that he is being honest, then you can resort to other methods. If he is good it is going to be pretty hard to monitor him w/o him knowing or disabling it.

-Aaron

 

[EricB]

if you have concerns as a perant, track him. a kid will lie to his parent and think nothing of it.

 

[noxealia]

I would say a keylogger, but Col. Mustard: don't spy on your kid, let him be (mainly I'm saying this because if he realizes that you are he's going to be PISSED)

 

[dumdum8684]

Yea but they want to keep their child out of trouble...its not like they are just nosy. They want to see if the reason the kid is getting in trouble is who he talks to online. I have mixed feelings about this still living and home. I truly think a conversation would be the best start and maybe in that conversation if the kid isn't listening than set the rules down that the computer will be monitored. He's going to get mad...duh. But the fact of the matter is that parent need to stop worrying so much about hurting their kids feelings and talk to them and even punish them if they need it. That is the problem with the world today. People are spoiled and undisciplined now a days. Its the whole policy of don't spank your child it will hurt they're mental growth. That is a bunch of bull crap. If a kid is acting bad spank them. I'm not saying beat the living tar out of them but a good whipping every once in a while is good for them. Sorry I guess I was venting a little. Well thats my opinion.

-Aaron