It is one of the most common questions among parents worried about their children's digital safety. The short answer: yes, in most countries parents may supervise the devices of their underage children. Here we explain what the law says and how to do it responsibly.
In most legal systems, parents or legal guardians have a duty to protect their underage children, and that includes their digital life. Parental authority covers supervising the devices used by the minors in your care. Even so, laws vary from country to country, so it is worth checking your local regulations.
The situation changes completely with adults: monitoring an adult's phone without their explicit consent is illegal almost everywhere in the world and can constitute a privacy crime. Monitoring tools should only be used with minors in your care or with adults who have given their consent.
Even if it is not always legally required, digital parenting specialists recommend transparency: explain to your child that there will be supervision, why you are doing it and what you expect from their phone use. With young children direct supervision is natural; with teenagers, a clear agreement builds trust and keeps supervision from feeling like a betrayal.
Use supervision as a protection tool, not a punishment: focus on real risks (unknown contacts, cyberbullying, inappropriate content), respect reasonable privacy according to their age, and combine monitoring with frequent conversations about what your child experiences online.
A parental control app like CatWatchful is designed precisely for this legitimate use: protecting the underage children in your care. It lets you see who your child talks to, what content they consume and where they are, so you can step in early if a risk appears.