How Do You Monitor Your Child's Online Activity?

The internet can be scary for parents.

That is, it's becoming more like the real world: full of just as many easily accessible dangers as safe places.

However, unlike the real world, the Web seems more permanent — "take a screenshot, it'll last longer" — and that may pose difficulties for the young and foolish entering a world of people who forget what it was like to be young and foolish (probably because the previous generation didn't record those moments on Facebook).

I see plenty of Twitter updates on house parties and all sorts of other news in my Twitter feed searching for "Diamond Bar," for example, and it may not be information you want etched into the Cloud forever, next to your name.

While there are numerous tales of people getting fired because of a tactless Twitter or Facebook post, what does this new social world mean for your child and your parenting strategies?

Does your child have a smartphone? A Twitter/Facebook/MySpace/Tumblr, etc. account?

And, of course, is it OK to friend your child on Facebook?