An Auckland school is defending its strict internet policy that enables parents to see what their kids are looking at on their smartphones.

Birkenhead College says parents must install the monitoring app Family Zone on their kids' phones if they want their children to access the school's wifi network.

The app emails parents reports on what their children have been looking at. It also sends alerts when kids try to access high-risk content like pornography.

Principal Craig Waller told Mike Hosking it's a necessary move to protect the students.

"There are issues across the country and across the world with incorrect use online."

He said they decided to look into the school's options after aoprenta raised concerns about their kids' online safety.

"One of the surveys we did with the community, concerns came up about online safety...we came across this company, saw the merits of it, we were quite excited by it."

He said there has been a mixed reaction to the app but overall it's about educating the kids about safe online practices.

"The way they promote it is about the conversations you can have with the students and the families can have with their child. So it's the education and conversation which will hopefully make them good digital citizens in the future."

"Very positive from some parents. Especially the ones that came along to the evening we had to promote the app," he said.

"We have had a few students who are worried about it and their privacy and we expected that and we want to have those conversations with them."

Privacy lawyer Kathryn Dalziel told Kate Hawkesby the kids will work out a way to get around the app.

"What we have seen with spyware and a lot of these apps, it's almost become a challenge for our young people to work out a way around it."

She said this may not be the best way to teach children how to be good digital citizens.

Dalziel said it might not send the best message to kids.

"What are we teaching the children to do, when we really want them to do the right thing online."

"Supervising them all the time...is only teaching them that they should only do the right thing if they're watched."