listening in

[vidcc]

story


This story made me think. For those that don't wish to read it, it is about a mother who listened in to her daughters conversation to her boyfriend on the phone and told a court what she heard. The end result was the boyfriend being convicted of a bag snatching. He is now getting a new trial after the appeals court ruled that because of the states privacy laws the mother wasn't allowed to listen in. ( i have heard he is now sueing her)

Now i have never listened in on my childrens phone calls, but then i have never had a need to. However one thing worries me about this law.

A big campaign is being run about knowing what your kids are up to, (it's about keeping them off drugs for those that haven't seen it), I feel that if a parent suspects their child is in any kind of trouble then listening in on phone conversations is a major weapon in this.

As to childrens right of privacy, if a parent feels the child is not being responsible just don't allow that child use of the phone....simple.

[ruthie]

This is a tough one. I believe in privacy rights, but the other side exists..if you really think your kid is getting into some hairy situations, and they are totally silent, the feeling of the need to know doesn't just go away. So, perhaps a parent will resort to all sorts of things, with the best interest in the child's well-being at heart. I'm not saying this makes it right to "snoop", but I understand what might push one to do so.

[NikkiD]

I feel this is laughable.

This kid was a minor, as was this woman's daughter.

As far as I'm concerned, as long as my child is under the age of 18, lives in my house, and uses the phone I pay for, I'm entitled to listen to any conversation I want to. If my kids want privacy on the phone, they can pay for their own phone lines. Not only that, but it's my legal responsibility to know what my kids are doing at all times, until they reach the age of 18.

I'm not saying that I would listen in on phone conversations, under normal circumstances I wouldn't, just as I wouldn't go through my child's room under normal circumstances. If I suspected that they were involved in something they shouldn't be, that might change. And law or no law, I'm going to do it.

[Smith]

i agree and disagree. i mean robbery is one thing, but listening in on your kids every conversation is stupid

[lynx]

Putting the privacy issue to one side, I can't understand how the mother's evidence could be admitted in any case.

Firstly, it was hearsay.
Secondly, could she actually prove who was on the phone.
Thirdly, she had absolutely no proof that what she heard was even true.

[vidcc]

i agree and disagree. i mean robbery is one thing, but listening in on your kids every conversation is stupid

Firstly are you really 15 ?

If so perhaps you could ask yourself the same question when you are the parent

Nobody is advocating listening in on EVERY converstaion, however if the parent feels that something is wrong then i believe they have the right and indeed the duty to do whatever it takes..including secretly listening to phone calls. It would have to be secretly or there is no point in doing it.

As NikkiD pointed out...WE PAY THE BILL. plus being a good parent doesn't always mean being popular

[vidcc]

Putting the privacy issue to one side, I can't understand how the mother's evidence could be admitted in any case.

Firstly, it was hearsay.
Secondly, could she actually prove who was on the phone.
Thirdly, she had absolutely no proof that what she heard was even true.

we don't have all the story

I don't believe for one moment that he was convicted by hearsay, there had to actually be a crime comitted and reported for the police to proceed, just telling them someone said they did something wouldn't be enough.
Her testimony would have been admitted as a witness to a confession, the truthfulness of any confession has to be taken on merit. In this case the information wasn't given under duress, it was given freely in a conversation.
The only way it has been found inadmissible is because the state has privacy laws where all parties must be aware they are being listened to or recorded ( how many times have you phoned up a company and got the "this call is being recorded message" ? )

[ziggyjuarez]

HAha good thing.She cant just do that to her child.Hope she gets a 1,000 dollor fine for that.What next,putting video cameras in the house to see what your child is doing?This ladys just going too far with the whole thing.Bag snatting is a fun thing people like to do,no real harm.

[ruthie]

She shouldn't get fined at all. Video cams? People have them, and some have found out the the people they've hired to watch their children are abusing them. You'll never know what extremes you'll be willing to go, until you have children...not to mention, if they are troubled.

[3RA1N1AC]

As far as I'm concerned, as long as my child is under the age of 18, lives in my house, and uses the phone I pay for, I'm entitled to listen to any conversation I want to. If my kids want privacy on the phone, they can pay for their own phone lines. Not only that, but it's my legal responsibility to know what my kids are doing at all times, until they reach the age of 18.

well. i don't think the legal issue is so much a problem between the parent and the child, as it is a problem of the parent violating the privacy of the person at the other end of the phone convo. perhaps my thinking is a bit old-fashioned, but when i speak to someone on the phone --unless i am informed otherwise-- i expect to have one person and only one person at the other end, rather than his employer, his neighbor, his mother, or his entire family eavesdropping.