Spyware

New Zealand parents are spying on their children with special software secretly reading every Google search, website hit, chatroom conversation, email and MSN message and even every keystroke the child makes. They can then watch screen shots in real time from another computer or order regular reports on their child's activity, which the program will compile and email to the parent. NetSafe does not encourage it, because if the child finds out they're being spied on they will lose trust in their parents, and will likely switch to using a computer at a friend's place or an internet cafe. Parents can see at a glance if their child has viewed porn sites or talked to strangers online and are also likely to uncover secrets such as whether their child is sexually active, using drugs or being bullied at school. The clash between internet safety and invasion of privacy is already a hot topic in the US, where the software is most popular. And demand is growing here spyware developer and distributor Spector Soft last week told the Sunday Star-Times it sold 136 programs to Kiwi parents in the past year, up from 100 programs in the year before that. More Spyware News

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