> > > My first reaction to privacy issues is, "well, why are you so worried about the government knowing where you're going?" But I suppose that information could be tampered with by bad people, or by big brother. The only invasion of privacy I've heard of is by parents, who check to see if their kids are *really* just sleeping over at a friend's house, or if they took the toll road down to the city to party.
> >
> > ...which is less "invasion of privacy" as "responsible parenting."
>
> You don't think it's invasive for parents to be using government toll records to find out what their children -- who must be at least 16 if they're driving -- are doing?
>
> It seems to me that part of "responsible parenting" is at some point trusting your children. It means allowing them to grow up and to have their own lives that are not monitored at all times by their parents.
>
> If by the time you children are driving you feel the need to ask the state government where they were last weekend, you've already screwed up big time.
>
> Stephen


I'd have to disagree with you there. I see where you're coming from, and I think that's a good idea for the smaller things (not reading your kids' diaries, stuff like that). But when a kid is out with the car, it becomes bigger stuff. I had (have) fantastic parents, and I wish wish wish that they had infringed on my privacy a whole lot more than they did. Kids need to screw up to learn how to become adults, but kids don't need to do some of the things I did. I wish someone had stopped me because there is so much I regret. I've turned out to be a fairly high-functioning adult, but I wish I had done better. I'm not at all blaming this on my parents, but if they had been a little more invasive (not to the point where I became extremely rebellious), I'd have far fewer bad memories. I think knowing where your kid takes the car is a good thing. Now, whether that knowledge comes via the government or some other source is another question entirely, but a little invasion of privacy is not ridiculous with a 16 year-old. I was still just a kid, no matter how much I wanted my parents to think I was an adult.

Vida