Software tracks teens online activity

AUSTIN (KXAN) - It's tough to find a teenager who doesn't know his or her way around the internet these days. The online world can be informative and educational, but also dangerous. Now, technology allows parents to watch and record everything a child is doing online in order to look out for potential pitfalls.

James Leasure's Pandora Corporation created the technology five years ago, but recently released a new version that allows parents to track their children's online activity even from their smart phones.

"It can record chats. It can record screen shots. It can record the keys that your child is typing," said Leasure. "It helps the parent know who the child is talking to, what they're involved in, if anybody is contacting them."

Leasure said this technology could have helped prevent a situation in Pflugerville last month, when someone created a Facebook page dedicated to insulting teenage girls at Pflugerville High School.

"That would definitely have helped the parent cut that off at the source before it exploded," said Leasure. "No one likes to think it's their child- but sometimes it is your child."

Many experts say children should have some degree of privacy and they recommend parents tell their children when they are using this technology.

"We're not about spying on your children - we're about giving the parent tools to know if their child is doing something potentially hazardous," said Leasure.

Many companies have similar software and Leasure believes it is important for parents to track predators and online bullies- even if they are in their own homes.