Is It Illegal To Listen In On Your Kids' Phone Calls?

Legal Issues

from the questions-questions-questions dept

As various internet service providers and third party software firms are pushing software on parents that lets them eavesdrop on their kids’ surfing habits, parents might want to be aware of a recent court ruling up in Washington state. The ruling didn’t focus on the internet, but found that a mother who listened in on her daughter’s phone call broke wiretap laws. The article, written for a Connecticut newspaper, then goes on to discuss whether or not the same ruling would apply in that state — and it’s a bit tricky. Part of the rationale for the ruling in Washington is that state wiretap laws require both parties to agree to be recorded. Connecticut (and most other states) only have a one person requirement — but in the case where a parent is eavesdropping, the question then becomes whether or not they, as a legal guardian, have the right to give the consent to be wiretapped for their kid. Of course, this is just one of the many reasons why kids get mobile phones. However, with internet access, a similar question arises, but not many seem to have dealt with it. It’s likely that similar cases will start to show up when people feel their privacy is violated by their parents spying on their online activities. Of course, some might point out that talking to your kids and trying to build a trusting relationship (not always easy, of course) might be a better way to keep them out of trouble than spying on them.