As kids become more tech-literate, a new survey says parents are more worried about their own online posts than what their kids are posting.
![parents](https://www.mob76outlook.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Screen-Shot-2017-09-07-at-11.17.03.png)
So it is with digital personae and online personalities. Parents, especially those who use tech to distract young children, are having to lock down their devices as their children become more tech savvy, a new study by cyber security and online surveillance experts Online Spy Shop reveals.
* 70% of parents scaled back gadget access as kids got older
* 58% of parents cover their online tracks by deleting browser history or locking their kids out of shared devices
* Dads are more likely to hide browsing history from their kids – half have done this at least once
* 28% of parents have changed the passcode on their phone to lock out kids
* 20% of parents say they only locked out their kids to keep something a surprise
The majority (88%) of people who participated in the study said they’ve given their children access to their phone or computer to keep them entertained. But of those, 80% (70% of the total) say they’ve had concerns about their own privacy as their children got older.
On average, dads are more likely to cover their tracks than mums.Two-thirds said they had concealed their online behaviour from their children, compared to 49% of mums.
“Depending on the device, there are ways to restrict access and protect your own privacy without completely locking children out. So it’s not a surprise that some parents are now ‘covering their own tracks’ to keep their kids away from unsuitable content,” said Steve Roberts, Director of Online Spy Shop.
I blame the parents. Sic transit gloria mundi.