Savannah Guthrie Endorses ‘Snooping’ on Children’s Devices
Savannah Guthrie expressed her full support for parents who “check in” on their children’s mobile devices, although she prefers a different term for it.
“Firstly, I dislike the term ‘snooping’ as it has a negative connotation,” Guthrie, 53, stated during the Wednesday, August 20, episode of Today With Jenna & Friends. “[I’d prefer to say] ‘monitoring’ or ‘parenting.’”
During the conversation with cohost Jenna Bush Hager, they referenced a Wall Street Journal piece from July advocating for this kind of parental oversight. The article encouraged parents to keep a close watch on their child’s mobile passcode, arguing that monitoring their digital content can prevent potential issues.
As the Today hosts navigated the ethical dilemmas surrounding “snooping,” Guthrie mentioned she created a contract for her 10-year-old daughter, Vale, to sign when she received her first iCloud account. (Guthrie shares her family dynamic with husband Michael Feldman and their 8-year-old son Charley.)
“Our children are young. Perhaps it changes when they’re 16, 17, or 18; I’m not sure. But I’m paying for that phone,” Guthrie added. “My kids don’t possess a device, and I hope they never will. However, my daughter received a personal iCloud address, so I drafted a contract for her to acknowledge.”
Bush Hager, 43, supported Guthrie’s method, stating that she had taken similar actions with her children. (Bush Hager and her husband, Henry Hager, are parents to three kids: Mila, 11, Poppy, 9, and Hal, 5.)
“You sent me that contract, so I could incorporate my own legal language for my kids,” she reminded Guthrie.
Guthrie aimed to keep the contract straightforward for Vale, not wanting to overwhelm her.
“Essentially, it stated, ‘I understand that Mommy and Daddy love me unconditionally. I recognize that theycan read my texts. I will not write anything in a text that I wouldn’t want my grandparents to see or that I wouldn’t want splashed on the front page of The New York Times,’” she explained. “But she understands that I reserve the right to review her texts.”
Guthrie then candidly admitted, “Truth be told, I rarely check them now that she’s not aware. But I trust her.”
Wednesday’s episode of Today With Jenna & Friends offered viewers a rare glimpse into Guthrie’s personal life. Speaking exclusively to Us Weekly in February, she shared that she tries to balance how much she reveals about her family during broadcasts.
“[My husband is] incredibly supportive,” she told Us. “If I were on [Today With Jenna & Friends], I’d likely share all sorts of stories about him! We tend to keep our personal lives a bit more private on our show. [Michael] isn’t particularly fond of me discussing his snoring. He just rolls his eyes.”
She continued, “Now that my kids are older, they might hear something from a friend like, ‘Oh, your mom mentioned this about you,’ so I try to be cautious — my daughter finds everything I do embarrassing at her age.”
Today With Jenna & Friends airs on NBC weekdays at 10 a.m. ET.
