Helicopter parents: Network agency forbids secretly monitoring children's watches

Children's clocks with eavesdropping function are now 34; unlawful espionage devices 34;. The sale is therefore prohibited. Whoever bought it should destroy it.

Helicopter parents: Network agency forbids secretly monitoring children's watches

Wrist watches, which allow your children to be controlled remotely, are a growing market. Displaying time is not a matter of fact. The main purpose of equipment is to monitor offspring and to determine at any time where it is and what it does and does. The Federal Network agency has now at least somewhat restricted this trend. Children's clocks with eavesdropping function may no longer be sold in Germany since Friday. The property is also forbidden. Parents who have bought such equipment must destroy m, y do not want to be punishable.

So-called children's Smartwatches are now available almost by default with GPS positioning, built-in camera and SIM card. It works much like a mobile phone. They cost between 100 and 150 euros and are advertised with sentences like following: "Your fears about child will disappear."

The location where child is located is still allowed, but a specific function is going too far for Federal Network Agency. It is about children's watches, which can be controlled remotely by parents via an app. Some offer possibility to call clock unnoticed by carrier and to turn on a microphone. So it is possible to listen to what is being spoken in its surroundings. "According to our investigations, parents ' watches are also used to listen to teachers in class," said Jochen Homann, president of Federal Network Agency.

Document Destruction

This "baby monitor or monitoring function" represents an "illicit transmission system", explained Federal Network agency. Against sellers of devices, one has refore already proceeded to name without names of individual manufacturers.

By banning network agency can also act against owners of equipment. It does not determine buyers mselves, but indirectly calls, for example, schools to report to parents who are strapping such devices to ir children: "The Federal Network agency specifically advises schools to pay more attention to watches with listening functions in pupils", says Communication.

Parents who want to make sure that y are not punishable should destroy watch and keep proof of destruction. For example, you must bring device to a recycling and confirm that you have delivered it re. In case of doubt, a photograph is also sufficient to document destruction.

In February, Federal Network agency had already banned dolls that could secretly make video and sound recordings. At that time it had been announced to examine more interactive toys.

Date Of Update: 19 November 2017, 12:03
NEXT NEWS