Facebook Snooping – A New Trend Among Parents? [AUDIO/POLL]

According to a recent survey from AVG Technologies, 60 percent of American parents admit to accessing their teenagers' Facebook accounts without their knowledge, and mothers are most likely to be the guilty party.

"For generations, parents have been suspicious of teens’ social activities – and have employed any number of tactics to uncover the truth. Today’s parents are no exception; they simply have more channels to monitor," stated an AVG press release.

It was not hard to find New Jersey parents who admitted snooping:

"I sneak on with (my son's) password that he doesn't know I have."

"My husband, he watches what (my daughter) does. He goes on her wall..."

According to the survey, 40 percent of American parents worry the content their children post to Facebook and other social networks will affect their children's job prospects in the future. Still, the majority of mothers and fathers give their children credit for behaving well online, and they have minimal concerns about illegal and inappropriate behaviors.

One mother we spoke to admitted to checking her young daughter's Facebook account on a daily basis, but her daughter is aware.

"If she wanted Facebook, she would have to let me look at it every day," she said.

“Is it spying or is it good parenting when parents closely monitor teens’ online activity?” asked Tony Anscombe, senior evangelist for AVG Technologies. “Parenting teens that have grown up alongside the Internet and with mobile phones in hand requires an entirely new set of rules and tactics."

New Jersey parents said Facebook monitoring is not spying, just good parenting.

"You have no choice because you don't know who they're talking to. You don't know who they're talking about."

"You've got to watch out for your children...a lot of unsavory people out there."