How old are you?

15 in a few days

Nope can't sue them.

Can I do anything about it? I feel an extreme violation of privacy and I don't feel I can trust them anymore.

It might be the other way around. If they went to that extreme then all of you need to sit down and have a long talk about expectations. When your in their house its their rules no matter how old you are.

And being 15 privacy is out of the question until your out on your own.

At 15 you don't have any privacy to violate, did they ask you to look and you refuse, they don't even have to let you have a phone,

And I bet that THEY pay for that phone for you--it's really THEIR phone.

And even if you bought it and pay the monthly bill on it---you're 15. You don't get any privacy that your parents don't give you.

What did you do to make them not trust you?

PS--my child isn't your age yet, but you can bet that I'll be looking at her phone randomly from the day she gets the phone.

I actually have a job and I DO indeed pay for my cell phone and my monthly bill. I pay for all of my things. School lunch, snowboards, guitars and my lawn mower and its gas. I also just bought a car that I am restoring so don't give me **** about having my parents pay for my stuff. Just because I am a 15 year old looking for some answers does not mean that you can get mad at me and that is kind of annoying

Okay, calm down. I know you're upset your parents looked through your phone. I remember being livid when my mom would read notes that I left on my dresser, and even share content with my father.

However, your parents are still responsible for your growth and success. Every move you make weighs on them and they want to see you grow into the best adult they're capable of raising. I understand that you feel that you should have privacy right now because you're 3 years away from being an adult, but if you want privacy and respect from your parents, it's time to sit down with them and talk about what's going on.

What happened that caused them to look through your phone? Where did they get the impression that you needed monitoring? What can you do to prove that you're growing up well and capable of making good choices? These are all questions you should be asking your parents and you need to be willing to hear what they have to say-and trust that they know what's best for you.

I should also add that, I can retrospectively say that my mother DID have a right to read my notes. The contents of some of them WERE frightening for a parent. And when she and my dad confronted me and punished me for things they found out by "violating my privacy", they prevented me from making decisions that may have very well negatively impacted the rest of my life!

Parents are often viewed as the enemy when one is a teen, but they are most often trying to keep you safe and alive. Trust them.

I notice you responded to my entire post EXCEPT the question of what you did to make them not trust you.

Interesting omission, that.

Did they find anything incriminating when they checked your phone?

Most loving parents would do that, even search your room and look though your computer on a regular basis.

So get over it, you got the legal answers, you have no legal grounds to stand on. Next time just show them and they don't have to do it by "breaking into it"

Also does not matter you paid for it, they can take it away from you and not allow you to use it, same with the car.

You sound like a very ungrateful child

I know you feel that your privacy was invaded, but there usually is a reason a parent feels the need to check up on their child.

What is your relationship like with them normally? Have you made poor choices to cause them to be concerned? Are the people you hang out with considered "good kids" or do they tend to cause problems for themselves or others?

Was there something on there you didn't want them to see? Something that could get you into trouble or potentially be hurtful to you?

Some parents are naturally worriers, even if you are a good kid. They hear stories about kids making poor choices and they just want to be sure their child is not getting caught up in anything that will be harmful. Perhaps your parents are like this. Maybe they are prone to overstep privacy boundaries that you feel should be in place. If so, discuss it with them... reassure them if you feel confident they have no reason to worry about your well being.

If you have made poor choices in the past, they have every reason to worry and want to know what you may be involved in. It is their responsibility to try and make sure you don't get into trouble. They would be poor parents if they didn't show concern if you have a history of bad judgment.

If you have nothing to hide, it shouldn't be too much of an issue really. Let them be reassured that you are making good choices in your life if that is the case.