6 in 10 Norwegian parents check children's mobile phones

OSLO - A fresh survey showed that 6 in 10 Norwegian parents admitted checking their children's mobile phones without the kids' knowledge, news agency NTB reported Thursday.

While 59 percent of the interviewed parents repeatedly checked their children's mobile, tablet or PC without asking for permission, 55 percent felt that they had the right and duty to do so, the report said.

"We parents are responsible for protecting our children and making them safe, also online and on mobile network. But we also have a responsibility to respect the children's right to privacy and freedom of speech," said Ana Brodtkorb, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability in Telenor Norway.

According to her, parents' concern is understandable, but "permission, trust and time are a better recipe than snooping."

Kristin Oudmayer, Manager of Childhood and Social Inclusion at UNICEF Norway, warns that too much and unjustified snooping may impact negatively upon trust between parents and children.

"Children must have the opportunity to be children, and to talk to friends about things they are concerned with, without fearing that their parents are snooping," she said.

Oudmayer, however, also emphasized the importance of parents and other adults participating in children's digital life, NTB wrote.