It’s Illegal to Listen to Your Kid’s Phone Calls in Michigan
Every parent has eavesdropped on their kid's phone calls before, but I'll bet you didn't know that under current Michigan law -- you could be sent to prison for 2 years for doing so.
Much like women not being able to cut their hair without their husband's permission, this is another one of those crazy Michigan laws that is somehow still on the books. The most baffling thing about this law isn't that it's still a thing -- it's how it ever became a thing. Why would lawmakers put such a rule on the books to prevent parents from snooping on their child's phone calls?
Apparently, this law was created to prevent wiretapping in the 1960s. Regardless of its intent, the current law could see parents who listen in on or record their child's phone conversations fined up to $2,000 and sentenced to as much as 2 years in prison.
Luckily, lawmakers have noticed that there need to be changes made to the current law, a sentiment that is echoed by the Court of Appeals, according to State Legislator Peter Lucido. Lucido has introduced legislation that exempts parents from this outdated law, and there seems to be a lot of people in his corner, myself included.
With how quickly information moves these days, it's more important than ever to responsibly monitor your child's activities. There are so many evils they can fall victim to on any number of platforms, that you almost have to snoop on them just to make sure no creepers have snuck themselves into their world. The way I see it, if I'm paying the bill for a phone -- it's my phone. No one is going to tell me that I can't use my own phone... or listen to who's on it.