A software package called "Shield for Kids", which is designed to protect children from viewing "unsuitable" content online, could actually violate the individual rights of children, depending on how it is used.

According to Youth Daily, the software is capable of recording everything that has been viewed on the computer screen as well as saving all online chat entries.

The software's designer, Liu Zhi, of the Shanghai Huifeng Science and Technology Company, said that parents must enter a password before the programme can be started, ensuring that it cannot be used maliciously by anyone else outside of the family.

But sociologist Yu Hai argued that while parents may be within their rights in supervising their children, they have no right to invade their privacy to an unreasonable extent.

Parents should respect laws and regulations when monitoring their children's activities, Yu added.

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