Reasons to lock your device
Privacy – Everyone has a nosy friend or relative, so sometimes it’s nice to know that no one else will be able to use your phone without your permission. After all, you keep that phone on you constantly and it’s really a little window into your world.
Prevent unwanted apps/calls – Pocket dials are the bane of every phone owner’s existence, but putting a lock on your device will pretty much stop all chances of your smartphone calling someone or launching a battery-draining app from your pocket.
Security – Your smartphone probably has a lot of personal information on it including saved passwords and social media accounts, so keeping it locked keeps all of those apps and sites safer.
Financial information – If you do any shopping or banking on your device, then you ought to lock it so no one else can get at that information. You wouldn’t leave your wallet just lying around, would you? Why would you leave the same information unsecured on your phone?
Reasons to not lock your device
It can be inconvenient – Some people don’t lock their devices simply because it can be a hassle to enter a passcode every time you touch your device. Most phones lock automatically when they go to sleep, so if you set a lock, then you’ll be entering it every time you need to do anything on the phone.
It’s a hassle if you forget it – If you are prone to forgetting things, then locking might not be a good idea. If you set up a lock and forget what it is, getting into the phone can be a hassle.
It isn’t very secure – A lot of times, your fingers will leave smears and prints on the phone so if you have a swiping or pin passcode, potential hackers can just look at the screen. Also, if the person knows you chances are they’ll be able to figure it out.
It might not be necessary – If you don’t do any social media, banking or anything like that on your device, it might not be necessary to hassle with a lock at all. There are also apps which can require passcodes for specific apps instead of the entire device, which can be more convenient.
It’s a child’s phone – Children are notorious for forgetting things, so if your child insists on a passcode, at the very least you’ll want to make sure they tell you and you write it down.