An Auckland school has told parents they must put "spyware" on their children's phones for the children to get access to the school's Wi-Fi network.

The Council for Civil Liberties says the move by Birkenhead College is "a step too far".

But college principal Craig Waller says the phone app, Family Zone, "is set up so that we help our students focus on their education and they are not exposed to unsafe or inappropriate material".

Bridget Gundy, family coach at The Parenting Place joined The Weekend Collective to share her expert advice on the controversial issue.

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