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Should Your Parents Track Your Location?

Location-sharing apps can help keep teens safe. But they can also take away their privacy and independence.

May 2024

by Anna Starecheski

Jeremiah, 18, feels like he’s being watched at all times.

If he makes an unplanned stop after school, he usually gets a text from his parents. They track him using a location-sharing app called Life360.

“They ask a million questions: Why did you stop? Who are you with?” he says. “It’s like they forget I’m a person and not just a dot on a map.”

Location sharing has become a normal part of growing up. One survey showed that 45 percent of parents track their kids’ location.

But not everyone is sure tracking apps are a great idea. Sure, they may help keep kids safe. But what about teens’ freedom and privacy as they get older?

Jeremiah, 18, feels like he’s always being watched.

If he makes a stop after school, he gets a text from his parents. They track him using a location-sharing app called Life360.

“They ask a million questions: Why did you stop? Who are you with?” he says. “It’s like they forget I’m a person and not just a dot on a map.”

Location sharing has become common for families. One survey showed that 45 percent of parents track their kids.

But not everyone thinks that’s a good thing. Tracking apps may help keep kids safe. But don’t teens need some freedom and privacy as they get older?

Jeremiah, 18, feels like he’s constantly being watched.

If he makes an unplanned stop after school, he usually receives a text from his parents, who track him using a location-sharing app called Life360.

“They ask a million questions: Why did you stop? Who are you with?” he says. “It’s like they forget I’m a person and not just a dot on a map.”

Location sharing has become a normal part of growing up. According to one survey, 45 percent of parents track their kids.

But not everyone is convinced that tracking apps are a great idea. Sure, they may help keep kids safe—but what about teenagers’ freedom and privacy as they get older?

Staying Safe

To understand the debate over tracking apps, it’s important to know how they work. These apps use GPS technology to find your device’s location. A parent can then track your movements as a dot on a map.

The main reason parents follow their kids is peace of mind. Seeing where you are lets them know that you’re safe. Some apps even send an alert if you leave a certain area. Others make sure teens who drive don’t speed.

Gina Barnard is a parent who tracks her two daughters. She believes that it gives them more freedom. “I don’t have to bug them by asking where they are all the time,” she says.

Her daughter Atalie, 17, agrees. In fact, she pays attention to where her family is too. The app shows her if her mom is at the grocery store or on her way home. “Honestly, I like having it,” Atalie says. For her, it makes life easier.

How do tracking apps work? They use GPS technology to locate your device. Parents can then see your movements as a dot on a map.

Parents track their kids mainly for peace of mind. Seeing where you are lets them know you’re safe. Some apps send an alert if you leave a certain area. Others make sure teens who drive don’t speed.

Gina Barnard is a parent who tracks her two daughters. She says it gives them more freedom. “I don’t have to bug them by asking where they are all the time,” she says.

Her daughter Atalie, 17, agrees. She uses the app too. It shows her if her mom is at the store or heading home. “I like having it,” she says. For her, it makes life easier.

Gina Barnard, a parent who tracks her two daughters, believes that the tracking actually gives the kids more freedom. “I don’t have to bug them by asking where they are all the time,” she explains.

Her daughter Atalie, 17, agrees—and in fact, she pays attention to her family’s locations too. The app shows her if her mom is at the grocery store or on her way home. “Honestly, I like having it,” Atalie says. For her, it makes life easier.

45% of parents track their kids

No Privacy

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But for Jeremiah, being tracked doesn’t make life easier. It makes him feel like his parents don’t trust him.

“I sometimes leave my phone in my car and go somewhere else so I can feel a sense of privacy,” he admits. “I know it’s not good to lie. But I need to feel like I’m not being watched all the time.”

That’s a fair feeling, says Lorrie Faith Cranor. She’s a technology expert who studies privacy. “Part of being a teen is learning how to make decisions independently,” she says. “Sometimes teens make bad choices, but they usually learn from them.” Being tracked can take away those chances to learn from mistakes.

So how can parents protect you without stopping you from growing up?

Technology can help. But “there is no substitute for trust,” Cranor says. “And that works both ways.”

But Jeremiah doesn’t like being tracked. He feels like his parents don’t trust him.

“I sometimes leave my phone in my car and go somewhere else so I can feel a sense of privacy,” he says. “I know it’s not good to lie. But I need to feel like I’m not being watched all the time.”

That makes sense, says Lorrie Faith Cranor. She’s a technology expert who studies privacy. “Part of being a teen is learning how to make decisions independently,” she says. “Sometimes teens make bad choices, but they usually learn from them.” Being tracked can take away those chances to learn from mistakes.

So can parents protect you and still let you grow up? And if so, how?

Technology can help. But “there is no substitute for trust,” Cranor says. “And that works both ways.” •

But being tracked doesn’t make life easier for Jeremiah—it just makes him feel like his parents don’t trust him.

“I sometimes leave my phone in my car and go somewhere else so I can feel a sense of privacy,” he admits. “I know it’s not good to lie, but I need to feel like I’m not being watched all the time.”

That’s a reasonable feeling, says Lorrie Faith Cranor, a technology expert who studies privacy. “Part of being a teen is learning how to make decisions independently,” she says. “Sometimes teens make bad choices, but they usually learn from them.” Being tracked can rob a teen of those opportunities to learn from mistakes.

So how can parents protect you without stopping you from growing up?

Technology can certainly help. But “there is no substitute for trust,” states Cranor. “And that works both ways.” •