How to find out what my kid is doing in college?

[cobrat]

<p>

I hope this is a ■■■■■ and there is not really a parent on here who wants to use a keylogger on his kid while away at college.

</p>

<p>Agreed. Unfortunately, there have been several cases of idiots being sentenced to prison terms for using keyloggers on “their computers” to check on their respective spouse’s online activities. </p>

<p>Thus, one can’t rule out the possibility the OP is for real. </p>

<p>In all those cases, the courts ruled that what they did was illegal and they were to be sent to prison for their troubles.</p>

<p>

This means either he gives you the password to his online school records, or he signs a release with the registrar.

</p>

<p>The latter’s the only one which is meaningful. At some colleges…giving out one’s password without signing a release is a violation of college computing/network security policies and could land the student and sometimes the parent(s) in legal hot water if the school is strict on this issue.</p>

[BrownParent]

<p>Please don’t feed the ■■■■■, folks.</p>

[Marian]

<p>

You are completely in your rights to ask him to sign a FERPA waiver. You are also completely in your rights to insist on knowing whether he is speaking to the ex-girlfriend, and what his grades are to continue providing financial support.

</p>

<p>Yes to the first and third.</p>

<p>I disagree with the second. I don’t think you have the right to know whether he is speaking to the ex-girlfriend, and you couldn’t enforce a prohibition against it anyway. Any young person would be able to figure out a wide variety of ways to communicate with someone that only the NSA could detect.</p>