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This chapter explores the tension between parental surveillance of children for safety and the psychological and privacy costs of such monitoring. Julia Angwin critiques the prevailing culture of fear that drives parents to constantly surveil their children, despite declining crime rates and the negative effects surveillance has on children's enthusiasm and autonomy. She also discusses the challenges of protecting children's digital privacy in an era where laws like COPPA and FERPA are inadequate and often encourage workarounds or data exploitation.

Chapter 14 of Dragnet Nation, titled 'Fighting Fear,' examines the societal anxieties surrounding children's safety in digital spaces and the broader context of declining crime rates. It discusses official recommendations for online safety, legal frameworks like COPPA and FERPA, and the unintended consequences of surveillance and privacy laws on youth behavior. The chapter also highlights cases of over-policing of online speech, teens' privacy attitudes, and technological tools designed to protect children online.