How to stop a 10YO kid from reading my messages?

[theberlintall]

@acts1038 Password protect your phone. If you have the spare cash, get a cheap tablet for her to play with instead.

 

[acts1038]

@theberlintall She has her own phone, but whenever she sees me she monopolizes my phone for a reason I don't understand even though hers has much more space to download stuff, etc etc.

 

[theberlintall]

@acts1038 Oh well, in that case you are just going to have to say no to her using yours.
It's beginning to look almost like she wants yours specifically to dig around in your messages etc, as there isn't really another reason if she has her own device to use.

 

[acts1038]

@theberlintall She went home, I put a password and will have a serious talk with my aunt/uncle when I see them next, I think she'll hate me for it but if she won't understand, no other way

 

[darstone]

@acts1038 Maybe her phone has parental controls engaged. Also, her life is probably pretty boring compared to yours and she is living through your teenage messages. Lol lock down your phone.

 

[acts1038]

@darstone I always forget them, because I complicate them too much but now I locked it, with my name reversed with my favorite numbers and she knows only about the 3 LOL. Unoriginal but it's going to work I think.

Also will have to have a serious talk with her parents about it, but thanks for your answer!

 

[futuredreamer]

@theberlintall Nowadays you could probably get her an old phone with no credit instead of a tablet. She could use the house wifi for YouTube etc.

 

[andrew99]

@futuredreamer Agree with OP protecting privacy with a thumb print/passcode/password. With the consultation of her parents.

Disagree with giving cousin a screen. It is up to cousin's parents whether or not she has access to internet/phone/screens and what that access looks like. OP being 16 herself should likely leave that decision in their hands.

 

[acts1038]

@andrew99 Yeah, they will come visit us like next week or something like it, will talk about it with them face to face. Don't feel like asking by call or.

I have a 5 years old brother, when I was 10 I had only a nokia phone for emergencies and I watched only musical videos and cartoons on their youtubes, but mom told me that if my brother would do something like it she would like to be told about it face to face rather than any other alternative because he seems like wanting to do it, he doesn't just know to read more than numbers yet

Would you rather find about your kid doing it face to face or...?

 

[theberlintall]

@futuredreamer That's a great point! I have a drawer full of old phones that would do this job..I just didn't think of it.

 

[acts1038]

@futuredreamer She has one and always takes mine though.

My fault for not locking it with a password I think, but well, will talk about it with her parents too. Now it has one.

 

[nicole198]

@acts1038 Put a password on your phone. Better yet, use finger print as main lock and only use password as back up.

 

[acts1038]

@nicole198 Not a bad idea, but my uncle had this and she used to take his finger to unlock when he was asleep. He resorted only to password LOL

 

[wesupportpastorrob]

@acts1038 Thats exactly why I don't use face scanner on mine. My mom downloaded an app to take a pic each time the face unlock was used and several of the pics she was clearly asleep in.

My phone has an iris scanner on it which would avoid that issue. But I don't use it

 

[markmisso]

@acts1038 Put a password on your phone.

If you still want her to be able to use it, but only for one app there are ways to do that. If you've got an Apple device, you can use "guided access" to lock it down to a single app. She won't be able to leave the app without the password. There's probably something similar for Android.

So if she wants to use a game, you open the game for her, enable guided access (which is super easy once you've set it up), and hand her the phone. She won't be able to do anything but that game.

Don't ever let her watch you enter your password.

 

[acts1038]

@markmisso Have an Apple device (Iphone 11) and never thought of it, thanks!

 

[wolf912003]

@acts1038 I think there’s a way to lock with a password some apps. In that way she would be able to use only the ones that are unlocked.

 

[sharon10]

@acts1038 A 10 year old kid should understand boundaries and that there is consequences for their actions. Set a boundary, and if it’s broken, no more phone. Period.

 

[acts1038]

@sharon10 I tried, but I guess that only talking to her parents will solve it at this point.

 

[dovetouch]

@acts1038 On my phone I have a separate password for certain apps like banking and messaging apps...