Catfish Parents: One Fifth Of Parents Set Up Fake Social Media Profiles To Spy On Kids

Have You Set Up A Fake Facebook Account To Spy On Your Kids?

If you're constantly wondering what your children are posting on their social media profiles, you're definitely not alone.

Research has revealed that one in five parents have created fake social media accounts to "monitor" their children's accounts.

and 63% of parents were blocked by their children with their genuine accounts.

The survey conducted by VoucherCodesPro.co.uk interviewed 2,627 parents over 30 with children between 13 and 18.

It also found that 63% of parents had their genuine social media accounts blocked by their children.

Parents were asked about their personal use of social media platforms, with 77% admitting to having at least one social media page with Facebook being the most popular site (82%).

11% of parents said they set up these accounts purely to keep an eye on their children and who they were engaging with.

But 47% of the "catfish parents" admitted their children had found out about their online spying - something we're sure their children were not happy about.

Nick Swan, CEO and Founder of VoucherCodesPro.co.uk said: “Whilst it’s completely normal for parents to care for and protect their children from harm at any cost, the potential consequences of spying on your child through these deceitful means is potentially very damaging for your relationship with them.

"These days it is completely normal for teenagers to spend a large proportion of their spare time online and there are certainly better ways to ensure your child’s online safety than by creating fake online profiles.”

The news of these "catfish parents" comes not long after a study, which found that one third of parents were posing as their children's friends on Facebook to monitor their social media accounts.

Parents who took part in the study said that they only snooped on their children's social media accounts because they were looking out for them and making sure they were safe.

Is snooping around really the right way to keep kids safe? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below..

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