Should Parents Have The Right to Track Their Teenager’s Phones?

WDIV recently visited Romeo High School to discuss the topic of cellphone privacy between teenagers and their parents. The big question, do parents have the right to track their teenager's phones?

The topic can get heated with opinions on both sides as you can imagine. Parents want to know where their kids are at all times and the number one reason I believe is safety issues. Kids, they want their freedom and don't feel their parents are giving them enough space and responsibility to grow. Kids also feel a lack of trust from their parents when they need to know their every move.

Look, my son is 13 and I want to know where he is at all times. If the technology is there, I'm going to embrace it. I want to know what apps he has on his phone and his internet history.

I believe it's okay to read their text messages until they get to a certain age. At some point, they have to be allowed some privacy.

As kids get older it becomes a bit more tricky because they want to go out more and do more with their friends. I get why a 17-year-old kid doesn't want his parents to know what he's up to at all times. I know what I was doing at that age so I get it. But if I'm paying for the phone, then I have the right aside from the fact that I'm the parent.

It's also a good thing to show your kids that you trust them but they have to earn that trust first.