Monitoring text messages

[Speedgoat]

I just can't imagine taking the ostrich approach.......stick my head in the sand because if I can't see it then it isn't a problem.

I understand that, but if you trust a child enough to give them a phone in the first place, then why would you get in on their text messages? I think 13 and younger is too young for a cellphone period. JMHO, but I can see your side of it, if you assume that your child will not speak with you and that they will hide stuff from you. If that happens, then you have more problems in your household then just text messaging.

[mhbaseball]

so you can or cannot retrieve/obtain old text messages online? Got me all confused. And you can block texts/calls from someone with AT&T?

[Blue Tick]

so you can or cannot retrieve/obtain old text messages online? Got me all confused. And you can block texts/calls from someone with AT&T?

Yep.....I'm pretty sure you would have to block texts altogether. You can control the phones use/hours and such. I believe you actually have to pay like $5 (imagine that, another fee) for something called parental controls. Buddy I work with has something similar to this with a gps program on his kids phone, so when they say they are going somewhere, he can actually verify. Hasn't mentioned being able to read their texts though!

[Fishndude]

Sit him down And have this exact conversation with him. NOT US!! We're just a bunch of yahoos !

Seriously, do that. Maybe give him examples of your childhood etc.

[DamonJ]

Yep.....I'm pretty sure you would have to block texts altogether. You can control the phones use/hours and such. I believe you actually have to pay like $5 (imagine that, another fee) for something called parental controls. Buddy I work with has something similar to this with a gps program on his kids phone, so when they say they are going somewhere, he can actually verify. Hasn't mentioned being able to read their texts though!

You do not have to block the texts all together, you can add "Allowed phone numbers" and the phone will still recieve and be able to send texts to these numbers. My daughters phone will recieve texts from me, my wife, and a few other family members, while blocking all other texts...

The reason we did this is due to the volume of texts and the fact that her grades were dropping while the texting occurred.

[rubydog]

Sit him down And have this exact conversation with him. NOT US!! We're just a bunch of yahoos !

Seriously, do that. Maybe give him examples of your childhood etc.

That would be like the Scared Straight program...

[Bud]

Let me preface this by saying that I don't have kids.

I can not see of any of the good outweighing the potential bad of facebook, *******, phones, texting or any of that. I just don't see why a 12 year old needs access to all of that. I hear all the time about parents worrying about their kids emails or texts. That's an easy fix........don't have them. Are they really adding to the quality of their life?

Just my humble opinion. Carry on.

Bud

[Bilbo]

Let me preface this by saying that I don't have kids.

I can not see of any of the good outweighing the potential bad of facebook, *******, phones, texting or any of that. I just don't see why a 12 year old needs access to all of that. I hear all the time about parents worrying about their kids emails or texts. That's an easy fix........don't have them. Are they really adding to the quality of their life?

Just my humble opinion. Carry on.

Bud

I'm 30 and go to school full time and work full time. I've seriously thought about cancelling my Facebook account and going back to a "regular" phone with no texting or internet. I have noticed that it does effect ones thinking and such.

[huntinfool]

I know on Verizon we can see that a text was sent, but not read the actual message.
Wehn we gave phones to our boys I told themt that I will check it any time I want, after all I am paying for it. I can protect them while they are in my home and while they are by my side. But once they get on the phone they are no longer really here in the house. They are actually at someone elses house having a conversation (figuratively). So I can't defend them then. I keep and maintain an open relationship, but as teenage boys they are going to do and say things that could get them in trouble.

I think that if your worried then you should watch over their text messages. It only takes one moment for them to make a bad decision and send something that they shouldn't. Especially since they could receive something that would prompt them into doing something that they might not ever do.

[flufster]

Not true...unless the FCC and gov have changed their rules.




Last I was told from AT&T and other carries was it was a violation of FCC laws and regs to give you text messages, even your own. It was going to take a court order and warrant when I needed mine. LE has to follow this as well, from what I have found and been told.

This was 5 1/2 years ago, so things may have changed a bit though!

i am sure it is just like local phone calls on a landline, you can pay to have them stored for future calls/texts that can be accessed by the customer

if you are wanting information that came through before you paid for thsi service, you will have to have a subpoena or court order

that is the difference, these folks are trying to set it up before they need them and not afterwards


I personally think it is an invasion of privacy and it is hard to gain trust once you have crossed that very fine line between being a good parent and controlling....i dont know where that line is drawn but you will be really close to it by monitoring their texts

[JHT]

Do you all allow/block your kids phones from sending/reciving pics & mms messages?




One more cell phone thingy you may want to tell your kids:

Most cell providers are not setup to accept collect phone calls. You have to sign up for another service to be able to get them.

[flufster]

It's only an invasion of privacy or "spying" issue if you don't tell them that they're being monitored. There is nothing wrong with saying to them, "Here is a cell phone that I am willing to provide to you. I will be monitoring your calls and texts, so don't use the cell phone for anything you wouldn't want me to know about. If that is not acceptable to you, you don't have to have a cell phone. The choice is yours."

went back and read a few more posts on this topic.....i guess you have kinda swung my opinion....i think i would have to agree with this approach

[Snakelover]

Y'all do understand that this is an eleven year old child he's talking about, right? There is an enormous difference between an 11 or 12 year old and a 14 or 15 year old. HUGE!

[KUJays]

Yes. I delete all of my forwarded messages just because. Was looking for a pic of a deer yesterday and it was there.

Once you log into your sprint account where do you go to do this?

[bowhuntntxn]

Why not just ask him to show you some of his texts. They(children) are as human as anyone else, and if you explain why you are doing it, and be respectful, then more times than not they will be willing. Just because they are younger than us, does not mean they need to be treated like they are dumb.

A bigger question would be how would you react if you found out your son/daughter was the one doing the bullying?? IMO this is a "be careful what you wish for" moment!