Huawei has been in the news lately and seems to have got into trouble because some people think they are using their technology to ‘spy’ on people. Even though the Company totally denies this claim, it has certainly generated a lot of interesting conversations about if it’s true, or even possible!
So, thinking about the concept of ‘spying’ - who has the right to do this? As the boss of a Company or a team leader, do you have the right to access any information your employee has created or their correspondence? What impact would this have on you or the employee?
As a parent, do you have the right to read your child’s diary or their text messages? What are the boundaries? What are the norms and rules? What impact would this have on your relationship with your child? Can you resist the urge to do this?
In our work with parents, Åse and I always language this question around the ages of the children and the risks involved. It can be very controversial but we believe mutual trust is key, so you don’t invade personal space without prior communication and consent (i.e. you don’t ‘spy’). Rather work with your child to gain access to this communication if you feel it’s important.
The only time this would change is if you feel there is a significant risk to your child (if they are very depressed or suicidal) and breaking this trust to gain information may in fact be a life-saving action. There’s also the very real worry about grooming and how this develops. Breck Bednar is a real example of this devastating situation. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47473932 Would this concern justify you spying on your child?
It would be great to hear what you think? What experiences you’ve had with this and what you can share? Please comment below if you’d like to join this conversation.
