Is snooping into a partner’s emails and text messages appropriate?

With Valentines Day around the corner, there are some traits that tend to shake up a relationship yet they could have been straightened out at the genesis of the relationship. Trust is a key factor in any relationship and can in fact be its anchor. In cases of unclear circumstances in a relationship, trust among couples can make them jump any hurdle that comes their way. In an interview with The New Times, Ishmael Ntihabose, Managing Director of CINEDUC, said that he checking out his partner’s emails and text messages if they are married is okay if permission is granted. “If she allows me to check then I won’t hesitate. I’m the jealous type so I’d prefer not to check her text messages,” Ntihabose expresses. He further advises that for the sake of avoiding hurt, its best to not even touch a partner’s phone. “Someone from her office could send a friendly message and I get the wrong idea about it thus doubting her yet its not healthy for a relationship,” Ntihabose explains. Emails or text messages are supposed to be personal therefore someone else snooping into another person’s message is invasion of their privacy and could be a reference to ‘Criminal intent’ in some countries. According to James Onyango, Head of Credit Administration/ Risk Management Department at Ecobank Rwanda, it’s not right to snoop into a partner’s messages but circumstances can lead someone into doing it. “When people do things that don’t make sense you tend to think something is going on. At times you need to find out what is happening and the only way to do that is to snoop into their phones,” Onyango explains. He further adds that a partner should not do things that call for mistrust. “In extreme cases you have to be on guard at times. You must know what is in store for you when your partner starts acting in an awkward manner,” Onyango discloses. Linda Mutoni, student at Mount Kenya University, said that it is immoral to snoop into one’s emails or text messages. “If you trust each other there is no need to snoop into messages. A person with trust issues can even go as far as stalking. Long lasting relationships are built on trust. The fact that you snoop into people’s text messages and emails indicates that you don’t trust them at all,” Mutoni explains She concludes by saying snooping around is extremely inappropriate.