April 8, 2010 6:15 AM

Facebook Family Feud: Mom Snoops Online, Son Charges Harassment, So They'll See Each Other in Court

By
Carlin DeGuerin Miller
Topics
Daily Blotter

(CBS Graphic)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (CBS/AP) Parenting in the Facebook Age has come to this.

An Arkansas woman says she was just doing her due diligence as a mother when she logged onto her 16-year-old's Facebook page and read his posts, which she didn't like one bit -- so she changed his password, and locked him out.

The son liked that even less -- so naturally he accused his mom of harassment, prosecutors bought in, and now it's mother vs. son in a criminal case.

Can you say "un-friend?"

Denise New says her son forgot to log off of his Facebook page one day while using her computer so she took the opportunity to do a little snooping. New says the boy had written that he had gone to Hot Springs one night and drove 95 mph on the way home because he was upset with a girl. Several other posts on his site also bothered her, but she refused to elaborate.

Her son, Lane, who lives with his grandmother after mom's nasty divorce, did not appreciate Denise New's brand of mothering and filed a handwritten complaint with prosecutors, writing that "Denise first hacked my Facebook and changed my password. She also changed the password to my e-mail so I could not change it. She posted things that involve slander and personal facts about my life."

The prosecutors sided with the teen, and approved the harassment charges against Denise New in March.  Prosecutor Todd Turner refused to comment but did cite Arkansas' harassment law, that "a person commits the offense if he engages in conduct or repeatedly commits acts that alarm or seriously annoy another person."

Denise New says she plans to fight the charges saying if the suit is successful it will be "open season" on all vigilant parents who seek to keep their children in line. 

For her Facebook adventure, she faces a judge May 12.


TELL US WHAT YOU THINK:  Did mom commit a crime?


Add a Comment
by ILoveMyLGVU August 12, 2010 1:34 PM EDT
That's so smart. Children are obsessed with Facebook (I am a child, have a Facebook, but I am not obsessed.) My mom is very obsessed, and if I had a child that did the same she does, I would change the password. You are a smart woman.
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by ILoveMyLGVU August 12, 2010 1:23 PM EDT
This is just a waste of time. Sounds like something my mom would do, but not the changing of the passwords. (Ignore my name, I made it a while ago, I now hate it) The son is taking it too seriously, and needs to calm down. BUT... the mom needs to go take a nap or something, because she did not need to go change his passwords. That was stupid. He could just make new accounts.
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by cattypatti April 11, 2010 3:54 PM EDT
I think that the mom had a right to view her son's page with or without his permission. He is a minor and she is his parent, whether he was currently residing with her or not. It is ridiculous how this is going to court.

In today's society a parent is doomed no matter what they do. People will judge that as a parent they should have done more to control their child and their behavior and blame the parent for the childs actions and if the parent snoops such as this case the parent is wrong and had no right.

When does the parent ever get a pat on the back and told good job. The child's behavior now that they are teenagers or young adult's is not a result of you and bad parenting but a result of society and where our world is heading and ultimately the child's fault and responsibility.

Mom should not have to defend herself or have to go to court to fight for other parents rights to see what their child is up to, especially when the child is still a minor and their responsibility.

Kudos to mom for caring enough about what her kid was up to.
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by nelleighwaters April 9, 2010 12:03 PM EDT
If the kid was at his moms house and stayed logged in then she had a right to LOOK at his account.. change his password no..maybe talk to him about the things that were posted because she was concerned.. Besides that the kids was stupid for posting things like that because everything you post is public so why was he so upset his mom read what was on his facebook... I don't agree with the whole lawsuit thing.. I think it is a waste of time and money!!!But the kid should learn a lesson to not post things he doesn't want other people to read. and if he uses his computer at his moms house then log out of his account when he is done!! People log into other peoples facebooks all the time and write things.. we don't see them suing each other!
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by EmeraldJade1973 April 8, 2010 12:35 PM EDT
I'm not sure where a 32 year old adult in a 50 year old parents home comes into this. HOWEVER, if you read the above article you would have noticed she didn't give up her son nor have him taken away. The son moved in with his grandmother due to a nasty divorce. There are several reasons why the real mother would have given the grandmother sole rights to the boy. Maybe to keep him safe. First, you can't "assume" this mother didn't do it for the right reasons. Next, if you are a parent (and at this point in time I'm going to assume you're not and I'm also going to assume you are not over the age of 24), then you can not sit there and tell me or anyone else that this mother didn't have a right. She most certainly does. If I dare caught one of my daughters posting crap on their facebook pages, you better believe I'd have them disabled. Until you are a parent yourself don't judge another for "butting in" because if it wasn't for this mother reading his posts, this boy could have ended up wrapped around a tree somewhere for his idiotic driving skills.
As for the prosecutor, I agree with watchdog, 15 minutes of fame is all they are seeking.
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by yoyoinla April 8, 2010 1:19 PM EDT
I have a 15-year old, extremely social, daughter. She has a Facebook page, but ONLY with the understanding that I have the password. My teenager has not "guaranteed" right to privacy, unless she earns it. It is a privilege, not a right, She gets out of line, and she loses her privilege, and yes, I have changed her password when a grade slipped, until such time as she brought her grade up. And until she turns 18, I will do it again if necessary.
by prplchkn08 April 8, 2010 9:48 AM EDT
The prosecuter should not be fired... the mother should not have changed the passwords. She has no rights as a mother when she gave Lane up to his grandmother. Most sites are only saying that he "lives with his grandmother" but if you look at the Arkansas based news stations they report that his granmother has sole custody and parental rights. If you (anyone reading this, that is) are an adults, say 32, and you are over at your mothers house (say she's in her 50s) and you use her computer to get on facebook, and forget to sign off, does she have the right to read your account and change the password because she doesn't like what you have to say? Or if you are a teenager (15) and go to a friends house and don't sign out, does that friend have the right to change your password - NO!
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by watchdogtexas April 8, 2010 6:36 AM EDT
What a waste of the tax payers money. The prosecuter should be fired.
Someone just wants their 15 min. of fame.
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