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Recording a Cell Phone Message

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Hazy28

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Massachusetts.

I'm not sure what forum this belongs under.

Recently my stepchild (15) had a run in with the police that resulted in our taking his cell phone. We listened to the messages he had and some of them indicate drug use and what not. I wanted to record the messages onto the comptuer in order to keep a hold of them, but I wonder if that's illegal?

The phone is, technically, mine. I'm paying the plan that puts all the cell phones in use. Plus the messages are from other minors to mine, who is also a minor. Is it legal for me to record them? I don't plan to use them in any legal manor, more of a confrontation tool (although I realize that probably doesn't matter).

For that matter, there are pictures on his phone that show kids (not actually mine) smoking pot (or what I have to assume is pot). Can I download these as well?

Thanks.
 


Some Random Guy

Senior Member
You should not run afoul of any of the federal or state wiretapping statutes because the messages were left on the cell phone by individuals who obviously knew they were being recorded. So it basically becomes a property ownership issue. The phone is yours and you are paying for the service, so barring any agreement you made with him to respect his privacy, I don't see any problem with you having and viewing and copying the pictures and messages.
 

outonbail

Senior Member
Regardless of what you plan on doing with these messages and pictures, I think it's an all around bad idea to have photo and audio evidence, of your children speaking of and committing crime(s) on your personal computer. What good can possibly come out of having this incriminating material on your hard drive?
I can think of several bad things that can happen as a result of storing this material, but nothing positive comes to my mind.

IMO, I think it would be in everyone's best interest to delete this stuff and have a long talk with your son.
 

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