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Can't read my kids' texts online - I get it - but when did this rule change?

I clearly remember having a discussion with the Verizon rep about text messaging when we set up our account. He was really trying hard to sell us on the parental controls package which among other things, would allow us to monitor content. From what I have read here, and elsewhere, we can't read the texts. We've had the account for a little over a year now. My question is was this an option previously, or was the Verizon rep misleading us? Was there a law recently passed which prevents monitoring of text messages by the account owner?

All that aside, I am very satisfied with out Verizon experience overall.

Comments

budone

I do not believe VZW ever offered a 'plan' that did this..However up to about a year or a little more ago, there was Short Code 8888 which allowed someone to have text messages be forwarded to an email address or another phone.

TK421

Thanks for the info. We went back and forth on signing up for this, and eventually decided not to do it. It seemed reasonable to me to allow parents to have this as an option - since they pay the bills and are ultimately responsible for their kids' actions. I won't get into a debate about the ethics of kids' privacy here, and good parenting. But, I think it would be a useful tool for parents to have - if for no other reason that to spur a discussion with kids at home.

budone

I can only guess, but there is no way the cell companies of knowing if the phones this is assigned to is actually the parents kids. it could very easily be abused.

SuzyQ

TK421 wrote:
Thanks for the info. We went back and forth on signing up for this, and eventually decided not to do it. It seemed reasonable to me to allow parents to have this as an option - since they pay the bills and are ultimately responsible for their kids' actions. I won't get into a debate about the ethics of kids' privacy here, and good parenting. But, I think it would be a useful tool for parents to have - if for no other reason that to spur a discussion with kids at home.

Yes, a useful tool for parents - but as budone said, Verizon has no way of knowing or verifying that the phones are actually in the hands of minors. Many family plans are actually a group of friends, or, in my case, multi-generational (my mom, my husband, me, and 2 adult children ages 19 and 22) and there is too much potential for abuse.

When our kids were minors, they knew that we had access to their phones, and if they wanted the privacy then they needed to foot the bill for their own account. As long as we were paying the bill and responsible for the phone, we had access. If they tried to subvert that, the phone was history. It's worked for us.

Bill1203

how did this work

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