Do you monitor your children's online activity?

Young people are generally aware of privacy risks but may not understand the long-term implications of posting information online. (iStock)

Canadian youths pay more attention to the risks of their online activity than their parents give them credit for, reports CBC News.

A study released last week by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner found those aged 18 to 34 are more likely to use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, but are also more likely to be aware of and to use restrictive privacy controls compared to older Canadians.

 "From the perspective of youth, the main concern is overexposure or embarrassment, which is to say that people are concerned that what they post online will be seen by unintended audiences," said the Media Awareness Network's Matthew Johnson.

However, Johnson cautioned that teens are also less mature and more likely to take risks in terms of what they post. The potential online perpetuity of an embarrassing photo poses new questions about how choices made at 15 can haunt your job prospects and other relationships decades later.

Are you a regular user of social media sites? If so, how closely do you monitor your security and privacy settings? If you have children, do you keep their online activity under close surveillance?



(This survey is not scientific. Results are based on readers' responses.)