Mom and Pop catch teen sex paedo using spyware

newsguy 0 257 Views

Now I'm not usually one who advocates the use of spyware of any sort. As a parent myself, I like to think that trust works better than software when it comes to controlling access to questionable content online. However, in the case of the British parents who spied on their 15 year old daughters online activity in order to trap a suspected paedophile, I will make an exception.

According to reports it would appear that the teenage girl had gone from being an open and happy child to a secretive and withdrawn one. She used to tell her Dad everything, so he reckons, but then started telling him nothing. Worse, she said she would be in one place with one person but ended up somewhere else with someone else.

That someone else turned out to be a 38 year old man.

By monitoring her email and IM activity online using an application called WebWatcher, the parents were able to identify the man and reveal that he was involved in a sexual relationship with the under age teen.

The man, who met the girl while he was working as an ice hockey coach, was arrested and after being found guilty of five charges of sexual activity with a child is now starting a four and a half year prison term.

Rather surprisingly, this has sparked some comments blaming the parents for their actions. One stated that "I do object to this monitoring being covert. Presumably her parents monitored activity that was not related to this criminal's activity - IMs and emails where their daughter could reasonably expect privacy and where there was no risk to her. Children should be supported, loved and protected by their parents - not deceived - even if it is for her own good." While another says "Sounds like another couple of parents unable to establish trust and discuss things with their kid. Snooping (opening snail-mail, emails and IM sessions, reading diaries, etc., it's all the same) is the best way to make sure there will be no trust anytime soon."

What are these people on? Perhaps they do not have kids of their own, or are kids themselves. I know one thing, in the circumstances I suspect the parents involved here would rather their daughter was a little pissed off at them for a bit, even perhaps lacking in trust for a while, instead of continuing to be molested by this dirty old man...

Dani AI

Generated

This thread highlights the tradeoff everyone argues about: trust versus safety. makes the core point — trust is ideal, but when a child’s behaviour suddenly changes you can’t assume everything’s fine. and rightly note monitoring can be essential; ’s anger shows how visceral the response is when a child is harmed. That mix of emotion and principle is normal, but it’s useful to turn feelings into a clear, safe plan.

If there’s a real concern about grooming or exploitation, these practical steps are the priority:

  • Make sure the child is safe right now. Don’t confront the alleged abuser alone; get help from police or child-protection services.
  • Preserve evidence. Save chat transcripts, emails, screenshots and timestamps without editing them. If devices are involved, avoid deleting or changing files — law enforcement or a digital-forensics pro can advise on proper copies.
  • Document what you saw and when, and take notes of who was involved and where contacts happened. This makes any investigation far easier.
  • Involve professionals early: police, child-protection agencies and counselling services for the child.

For long-term handling and prevention: prefer open rules and age-appropriate monitoring where possible. Use account activity logs, router-level controls, built-in parental features and clear household rules rather than secret, constant surveillance as the first option. Covert monitoring can be justified in a suspected-abuse emergency, but it’s a blunt tool — plan how you’ll explain it later and how you’ll rebuild trust.

A final note: laws and procedures vary by place. When in doubt, contact local authorities or a legal adviser before taking intrusive steps. If abuse is found, prioritise the child’s emotional recovery and professional support; evidence and prosecution are important, but care for the victim comes first.

Member Avatar for steven woodman
steven woodman 57 Posting Pro in Training

Definitely agree with that last statement. I mean come on, i would have done the same, except probably did a few things to him myself before calling the cops. Dirt bags!

Member Avatar for chilloo
chilloo 0 Newbie Poster

Spyware is sometimes an essential tool, too.

Member Avatar for Diguelo
Diguelo 0 Newbie Poster

Monitoring your childs activity on the internet is a must these days. The number of sick minded individuals out there who seem to want to be more perverse than the last guy to get arrested looks to be on the increase.

People who come out with ("Sounds like another couple of parents unable to establish trust and discuss things with their kid. Snooping (opening snail-mail, emails and IM sessions, reading diaries, etc., it's all the same) is the best way to make sure there will be no trust anytime soon.") they need their heads looking at. I sometimes wonder if this nanny culture we seem to be in is doing any of our kids any good at all. Yes we know the internet us for the most part deregulated and for my money it can stay that way too. But parents who just let their children do as they like without monitoring their activity may one day wake up and find they wish they had.

Personally i use UltraVNC for monitoring and helping my kids on the net, they both know im there and watching but not in the same room, so they dont get the looking over the shoulder bit. They know they are being watched and that if they stray anywhere they shouldnt be, there internet suddenly and mysteriously gets turned off until they have had it carefully explained to them why they shouldnt be there.

Give a child a truthful and logical explanation why they did wrong does them more good and gives them education for the future rather than "You dont go on there again, clear !!".

I occasionally find that a dose of "E grounding" for a night works wonders on an unruley child too.

But to reitterate on what I said, ALL parents regardless of trust and confidenciality, owe it to their children to monitor their childs online activity, remember "Its rarely your child that knows it is a victim till its way too late." Be open and honest with your child and you will be surprised at the response. Lie to them and reap the whirlwind.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.

Edit Preview