55% of parents “keep an eye” on a son or daughter by checking their social networking profile, according to BullGuard Study
London –July 13, 2011– More than half of parents snoop on their children’s online activity, a new BullGuard study has revealed. The survey, which interviewed 2,000 internet users across the UK, found that 55 percent of parents “keep an eye” on a son or daughter by checking their social networking profile, with a further 5 percent saying “they would if they knew how.”
Four in 10 parents admitted to regularly checking their children’s social media status updates, 39 percent use the Facebook “wall” to see who’s been posting messages to their children, and 29 percent look through tagged images. And the reasons why? Quite predictably, more than a third credibly admit to being overprotective but astonishingly 24 percent believe that it’s the only way they can really see what their child is up to, with 11 percent saying that they have even set up a Facebook account for the sole purpose of snooping on a son or daughter. Interestingly, over a third of parents snoop because they want to know the sort of people they’re child is mixing with.
16 percent of parents have attempted to “friend” their child and yet 30 percent have had their friend request rejected. It comes as no surprise then that 13 percent log in using a friends account to check up on their kids.
It’s not just social networking sites that are being scrutinized by concerned parents either – 76 percent say they check internet history to ensure children aren’t visiting unsuitable web sites, 21 percent check instant messaging history and 23 percent root through the sent box on email accounts. While 14 percent claim they are just being “nosey”, a significant 41 percent are worried that their computer might be infected by a virus or malware if a child visits an insecure site or registers for an illegitimate service.
“It certainly seems as though parents are taking advantage of the trail of information left by web use in order to check up on their kids” says Claus Villumsen, internet security expert with antivirus company BullGuard. “These figures are initially quite surprising, but since certain malicious third parties have been known to prey on unsuspecting or over trusting individuals online, it does seem as though many could have legitimate concerns”.
Parents who are concerned about infection from malware or other viruses should a child inadvertently open an email, run an application or download software that could provoke an attack will find that the best option available is to rely on regularly updated security software to protect against the latest threats.
“Anti-phishing protection can help to warn users if they are visiting websites or opening emails that contain suspect material, and of course spam filters are very helpful in protecting an Inbox from swathes of promotional (and often unsuitable) messages” says Villumsen. “Educating children about the sorts of threats that can be encountered online is essential in this day and age, as well as ensuring that these technologies are in place to add that vital extra layer of protection.”
The BullGuard survey of 2,000 Brits who are online was carried out by market researchers www.OnePoll.com.
For more information on Internet and mobile security, visit www.bullguard.com. To request more information on BullGuard’s mobile and internet security product offerings, including images or product samples, contact PR representative Tiffany Iwankiw at (305) 576-1171 x140 or tiffanyiwankiw@maxborgesagency.com.
About BullGuard
Launched in 2002, BullGuard is one of the fastest growing security brands. Its philosophy has always remained the same – to combine technical excellence with a genuine understanding of consumer needs, creating simple, easy to use products that deliver universal, complete protection as well as enabling customers to control and manage their digital footprint.
BullGuard has offices in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Benelux, Denmark, Sweden, Romania, Australia and the US.
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Press Contact:
Tiffany Iwankiw
Account Manager
Max Borges Agency
(305) 576-1171 x140
tiffanyiwankiw@maxborgesagency.com
