Teh One Who Knocks
02-27-2012, 10:52 PM
By Ashley Powers - The Los Angeles Times
http://i.imgur.com/ds4aN.png
If you’re a teenager in Arizona, this might merit an OMG.
Right now, parents can check with their cellphone provider to find out what numbers their teenagers are texting. But they can’t read the messages without either taking away the phone -- which doesn’t help much if it’s password-protected -- or getting a court order.
State Sen. Rich Crandall wants to change that by requiring companies to provide the actual messages to parents who pay a fee for such a service, the Arizona Republic reported. It's not hard to figure out what sparked Crandall's interest in the topic -- he has six daughters.
"If I have a 13-year-old being harassed via text, I can't call and get those texts. This bill will allow me to at least pay to see the text messages for my children,” the Republican lawmaker told the paper.
The bill, which survived a Senate committee vote, now moves to the full chamber. It faces some formidable opposition, including from the cellphone industry.
Wireless companies said the requirement would be burdensome and might conflict with federal law, which could require companies to first get permission from the children whose parents want to monitor their texts.
http://i.imgur.com/ds4aN.png
If you’re a teenager in Arizona, this might merit an OMG.
Right now, parents can check with their cellphone provider to find out what numbers their teenagers are texting. But they can’t read the messages without either taking away the phone -- which doesn’t help much if it’s password-protected -- or getting a court order.
State Sen. Rich Crandall wants to change that by requiring companies to provide the actual messages to parents who pay a fee for such a service, the Arizona Republic reported. It's not hard to figure out what sparked Crandall's interest in the topic -- he has six daughters.
"If I have a 13-year-old being harassed via text, I can't call and get those texts. This bill will allow me to at least pay to see the text messages for my children,” the Republican lawmaker told the paper.
The bill, which survived a Senate committee vote, now moves to the full chamber. It faces some formidable opposition, including from the cellphone industry.
Wireless companies said the requirement would be burdensome and might conflict with federal law, which could require companies to first get permission from the children whose parents want to monitor their texts.