How do you feel about your parents reading messages you send to people?

[Alexa]

My parents somehow hacked into my facebook account and read all of my messages. This is not the first time this has happened either. I take this as an invasion of my privacy and I am incredibly angry and I feel as though I don't want to talk to them at all again. From what I believe, that is my personal and private life and they have no permission from me to do this. My parents sent messages to my friends also telling them 'i never want to smoke again' (because I do and my parents practically grounded me for life when they found out). Yet, just because they said that, it makes me want to do it more and more. Am I over reacting? Have any stories about your parents doing this to you? Tell me everything!
I'm 15 and this was so unintentional. They had no reason to do this. It's just kind of like, "hey lets see what's going on in our daughter's life by hacking into her facebook account and reading through all of her messages!"
Also, they found out that I smoke in June 2013 and they've stopped talking about it completely since then.

[Sarah Rebecca]

Depends how old you are. If you're under 18 their have every right to.

[soul assassin 037]

you are overreacting but your parents should respect your privacy. being overprotective is making it more likely you'll rebel. simple psychology really

[Starsfan14]

I think teenagers deserve privacy within reason. You are smoking. So why do you think you deserve privacy? You don't. You must earn it. The first priority of a parent is to keep their child safe.

Prove to them that you deserve privacy and I am sure they will give it to you.

You are 15 and smoking? I don't care if it is weed or tobacco. Yes as your parents I would read everything you wrote until you straighten up your act. If you want mess up your life then you can do it when you are 18 and living without the support of your parents. If you expect them to pay for your needs then your job is to be do what they expect, especially something as basic and necessary as not to smoke.

[Ricki]

< From what I believe, that is my personal and private life and they have no permission from me to do this >

You'd be wrong. Don't believe? Fine, call the police and see how far you get.

You are living in their house and especially if you are still a minor, they have a great deal of control over what you can and can't do. Even when you turn 18, if you are still living at home you are going to be subject to their rules. Don't like it? Move out and support yourself.

I also understand why you are upset. I don't think your parents handled this very well but they are concerned for your well being. I would try talking to them and seeing what happens but I would strongly suggest you don't start out with "how dare you do this and you will never do something like this again" because if you think they are overly strict now, you haven't seen anything. Just cool off before you start that discussion or go down that path. You don't know me, I don't know you but believe me, you won't get very far telling your parents what they will or won't do.

[menykats]

Invasion of privacy or whatever -- why don't you just delete the messages you have sent to people, so that your parents can't read them?

[desmeran]

any message you send to someone else can be read by *that person's* parents, siblings, other people who share their computer or phone, random people looking over their shoulder, anyone they forward it to (and that new person forwards it to....), any person the person they forwarded it to forwards it to, the parents who are looking over the shoulder of the kid it was forwarded to, etc. etc.

if it's "private" it should not be in a message in the first place.

[Sam]

You have zero privacy when using technology...even more so if you are using someone elses internet, computer, website. If you want privacy talk to your friends about illegal stuff in person.

They suspected you were doing something that you shouldn't be doing & were right...you got caught & it's 100% your fault.