http://www.bark.us/

This company's trying to steal Mark Zuckerberg's award for most intrusive spyware.

They literally advertise themselves as being able to read every text your child sends.

Creepy

This sort of invasion of privacy makes me want to "debark" that company.

Burn it to the ground.

I mean hell at least they're honest about it

If my parents did this to me, I would kill my phone. Or myself.

how to make your kids never talk to you again

I hate how privacy is thought of as a privilege children have to earn.

If you wouldn’t listen to everything you kids says to their friends in real life, you shouldn’t online

Privacy is not a privilege, it’s a right. Kids should never have to earn it or have it taken away, it should just always apply

Parents who spy on their children inevitably break their trust, making them less likely to talk their parents when they have actual problems

And if you use these services, not only do you violate your own child’s right to privacy, you violate the right to privacy of anyone they talk to!

Tl;dr: don’t spy on your kids. It’s just not worth it

@10Dev Good point but it's worse than the lack of privacy.
The smartphone has become an extension of our minds.
And if parents use such technology they're hampering the development of becoming an mind of your own. Kids that have to live with this crap will develop trust issues for the rest of their lives. Who can kids trust when even their parents don't trust them and shield them from every bad expirience. How do they become functioning adults who can manage their lives of their own. 🤷🏼‍♂️

@Tamrael Low risk, insanely high cost. You are teaching your children that you don’t trust them and that they are unable to protect themselves without help. And as mentioned above, that they should be fearful of other people. They could very well have trust issues for the rest of their life.

@Root agreed, though he has a point in saying that the amount of predators online is still a danger.
Don't even know why I offered my opinion on that, just felt like it.

@Tamrael then you shouldnt expose your kids to the internet until they have a certain age/maturity. This thing that all kids must be connected at all costs is just plain wrong.

@Ranchonyx There isn’t even much danger. Yes it exists, but it’s such a low chance that they’ll ever run into it. So instead of hiding them away or watching their every freaking move, teach them how to recognize that danger and avoid it. Trust your bloody kids!

@Tamrael

“Hey @Root, have you been on TikTok lately?” 😅
I would never use Chinese spyware, nor allow it in my house. Seriously. That is simply not okay.

As for your example:

I would tell my children (they’re too young for this currently) that if anyone asks for explicit images, that they’re a creep and want to do bad things to them, like steal them and lock them away and they would never see mommy again. Easy enough lesson.

I don’t allow fear to dictate my actions, nor rule the lives of my children.

Seriously, all of this spyware as a service, doorbell cameras, law enforcement surveillance, etc. is marketing. It numbs people to the idea of omnipresent surveillance so they become more and more okay with it.

Within ten to twenty years we will likely have facial recognition everywhere, and it will be “for our safety.” In fact, people will demand it, and the idea of living somewhere without this constant surveillance will be terrifying to the average citizen.

All of this is selling you a surveillance state.

And so does the phrase “the innocent have nothing to hide.”

There's a fine line between being a parent and being a helicopter.

You'll understand that if your a parent 🙄

I don't believe in this kind of intrusive access to their content, block the normal shit, and educate them about what the ramifications are for using half these services actually entail.

Kids will find away around any of this shit eventually or just make a second account and not tell you 🤷‍♂️