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Lock-screen text previews can expose confidential client information even when a device requires a passcode.
And when that happens, anyone nearby could read settlement instructions, legal advice, or other private information before the attorney opens the message.
The gravity of what could be disclosed underscores the need for attorneys to review their notification settings and discuss text privacy with clients.
This article delves into how to prevent sensitive texts from appearing on locked screens, and how iPlum’s secure texting can form part of your firm’s setup for managing confidential client communications.
Table of Contents
1. Why aren’t lock-screen settings enough to protect confidential client texts?
2. What can law firms do to protect client texts from unwanted disclosure?
3. Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
4. Give confidential client conversations additional protection with iPlum
Why aren’t lock-screen settings enough to protect confidential client texts?
Indeed, hiding text previews, to some extent, limits what another person can read on your phone.
However, you have little to no control over when client messages arrive. By extension, you’re not always sure who can access them.
That said, here’s why locking your screen isn’t a foolproof strategy to protect attorney-client confidentiality.
Your settings don’t protect the client’s screen
An attorney can disable previews on their phone, yet send a detailed message to a client whose device displays incoming texts in full.
Settlement instructions or questions about a pending divorce could then appear where a spouse, colleague, or family member can read them.
Hidden previews don’t secure the conversation itself
Hiding a text preview stops the notification from displaying the message’s contents. However, the setting affects only what appears on the screen.
It does not encrypt the text or change how the messaging service sends it.
Messages can still appear on connected devices
Hiding previews on a phone does not necessarily hide them on a connected smartwatch, tablet, or computer. Those devices can have separate notification settings.
As a result, a client’s message could remain hidden on the attorney’s phone but appear on a computer screen during a meeting or presentation.
Hidden previews do not prevent access to the message
A hidden preview conceals the text in the notification. However, the message remains available in the messaging app.
A person who can unlock the device could still open and read the conversation unless the app requires separate authentication. The notification setting does not determine who can access messages after the phone is unlocked.
What can law firms do to protect client texts from unwanted disclosure?
There are things your firm can do to reduce unwanted disclosure. The choice of one over the other depends on the sensitivity of the information, the devices used, and who can access the messages.
However, it’s important to consider the advantages and limitations of each option, especially in the legal field, where communication must remain confidential, and clients need timely responses.
Here are some of your options.
Disable message previews on attorneys’ phones
You can adjust notification settings so incoming alerts do not display the contents of client texts.
That said, hiding the message content can still leave the sender’s name visible. And if that detail could reveal a confidential relationship, consider disabling lock-screen notifications for the messaging app entirely.
Restrict access to the messages behind the notification
You can restrict access to client texts by requiring authentication before anyone can open the phone or messaging app. You can:
- Use a passcode or biometric authentication
- Set devices to lock after a brief period of inactivity
- Enable separate authentication for the messaging app, where available
- Avoid sharing passcodes with anyone unauthorized to read client correspondence
The problem is, device protection has limits once the phone is unlocked. If an attorney hands it to another person, that person could open client conversations unless the messaging app requires separate authentication.
Review connected screens that display client messages
You can review notification settings on your watches, tablets, and computers that receive client messages. On those devices:
- Hide message content in notifications
- Disable message alerts on shared devices
- Restrict access to accounts receiving client correspondence
- Check email previews if text forwarding is enabled
That said, the check only accounts for devices you have identified. A newly connected watch or tablet could display client messages unless its notification settings receive the same attention.
Discuss notification privacy with clients
You can explain what text previews reveal and ask clients about access to their devices before sending sensitive information. Some questions you can ask include:
- Does anyone else use or unlock your phone?
- Do your messages appear on a shared tablet or computer?
- Could identifying the firm as the sender disclose any private information?
Then, use their answers to agree on an appropriate communication method and record their preferences.
That said, the discussion does not ensure that clients will change their settings. A client could also share a device or connect another screen later, exposing messages under circumstances your firm has not discussed.
Limit sensitive details in routine texts
You can reduce what a notification reveals by omitting unnecessary case details from routine messages. Compare the two scenarios below:
- Detailed: “Please confirm whether you accept the $85,000 settlement offer.”
- Less revealing: “Please let me know a suitable time to discuss your instructions.”
The second message avoids displaying the settlement amount or the decision requested.
Still, neutral wording limits how much you can communicate. Substantive discussions still require another suitable channel. Also, your client could reply with sensitive details, even if your original message disclosed very little.
Recheck privacy settings after device changes
You can make notification checks part of the process when setting up a replacement phone, reinstalling a messaging app, or connecting another device.
You can use fictional client details to test:
- Notifications on locked screens
- Message banners after unlocking
- Alerts on connected watches, tablets, and computers
Confirm that confidential content remains hidden and that attorneys still receive an appropriate alert.
However, a successful test confirms only the settings in place at that time. Later changes can alter what appears, so an initial check does not establish lasting protection for client texts.
Use a phone system designed to cater to how attorneys communicate
Attorneys need to discuss sensitive information with clients, so limiting texts to appointment reminders is not always sufficient.
Your firm also needs a channel for written instructions, questions, and legal discussions that require greater privacy.
First, iPlum offers a law firm phone system for client calls and texts, allowing you to separate client and personal communications.
Beyond that separation, iPlum allows for:
- App password protection: iPlum’s password policy settings let your firm require a passcode whenever a user accesses the app. Attorneys can therefore restrict access to client conversations separately from the phone’s device lock.
- Two-factor authentication: When enabled, iPlum sends a verification code via text or email during authentication, adding an additional step beyond the login password.
- Password requirements: Your firm can configure password complexity and expiration requirements. These settings establish standards for account credentials used to access professional communications.
- Encrypted communication data: You get encryption for data at rest and in transit. Those protections address stored information and its transmission, beyond what notification settings conceal.
- Secure client messaging: Attorneys can create a secure texting channel with clients. Clients receive a free account and can exchange messages through the app or online portal, providing a designated channel for sensitive written discussions.
Together, these features address access to the application, account authentication, and protection of communication data. Your firm can combine them with the notification precautions discussed above.
And, from iPlum’s solo family lawyer case study, you can see how these protections can apply in legal practice.
Sarah, a California attorney, previously received confidential client texts alongside personal messages. After adopting iPlum, she separated client correspondence from her personal conversations and stored professional communication records in an encrypted archive.
As a result, she could review case-related exchanges separately from her private message history.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Does locking a phone hide text previews?
No. A locked phone can still display message content and sender details. Notification settings determine what appears before unlocking, so a passcode alone does not conceal incoming client text previews.
Does hiding text previews encrypt messages?
No. Hiding previews changes what notifications display. It does not add encryption to the message, change its transmission method, or protect the stored conversation against unauthorized access through the app.
Can connected devices display texts hidden on my phone?
Yes. A connected watch, tablet, or computer can display messages even when your phone hides previews. Review notification settings separately on all devices that receive or display confidential client correspondence.
Does iPlum offer password protection for its app?
Yes. Your firm can set up an iPlum app passcode. When enabled, users receive a passcode prompt whenever they open the app, providing additional protection beyond the phone’s existing device lock settings.
Do clients need to install iPlum for secure texting?
No. Clients can create a free iPlum account and use the online portal to send secure texts. They can also use the mobile app after accepting the attorney’s invitation to the secure channel.
Give confidential client conversations additional protection with iPlum
Your firm cannot protect client texts through notification settings alone.
Hidden previews limit visible information, but attorneys also need to restrict access to conversations and protect the information they exchange.
iPlum provides app passcodes, two-factor authentication, password requirements, and secure texting. Your firm can use these features alongside appropriate notification settings and agreed client communication procedures.
These guardrails allow you to control what appears on a screen and who can access the conversation behind it
Click the link below to get started with iPlum and put additional safeguards around your firm’s confidential client calls and text messages.
