Opinion on Kid tracking apps

[mpw]

...This seem like a violation of rights!...

It isn't.

...What do you guys think about these child tracking apps?

I can see their value, would use them and think they're a positive thing.

...It angers me parents put these apps on their child's phone...

Why? are you also angered by parents who let their kids drive cars? and by parents who don't let their kids drive cars? and parents who let their kids drink wine? and by parents who don't let their kids drink wine?

 

[damewolf13]

For centuries those things were all found out by responsible parents with no tracking devices.

I don't believe you can back that up with any real evidence.

 

[damewolf13]

This is a tough one because some kids mature differently than others. I know teens who are smarter and behave more appropriately than many adults do. I don't like that if your 17 days and 364 days old, you don't have as many rights as the next day (although there really isn't any other easy way to judge a person's maturity other than age). I think its fine if the kid is around 12 and you want to make sure he doesn't get lost or abducted but when you start to put these apps on kids in their late teens, it's a bit overprotective and an invasion of privacy. I'm 16 and my parents don't have these apps on my phone because..well...I don't go anywhere... And even when I do go places, I don't make foolish decisions such as drinking, texting while driving, or any other stupid things teens do. I feel like everyone around me is so immature. Oh well. In 2 years, I'll be free from this prison chamber called high school. Don't get me wrong! I know education is extremely important and helps prepare you for the real world, but the social aspects and childishness of high school is torture. Most of the important life lessons I learn come from either movies or books that I read outside of school. Woah! I digressed a bit there. short story: tracking apps= sometimes good, mostly bad

I am happy that you are a responsible teen, and this would not be appropriate to put on your phone, but not all teens are as responsible as you, and their parents have the right to moniter their actions as best they can to try and steer their child in the right direction. The alternative is to NEVER let their child out of their sight, and that is really not good for either the child or the parent.
For a minor child, freedom is earned, and a cell phone is a privelege, not a right. Parents have the responsibility to moniter their own children. It is NOT the job of the school, or the neighborhood, or the community. I get so tired of parents who just don't care about their child, and then when that child acts out they just can't believe it, when if they would have shown some interest in the first place, maybe those actions could have been prevented.

 

[stainlessray]

Those tragedies aren't the fault of parents with no tracking devices on their kids (it seems outrageous to have to say that).

One thing that may make the devices worth the money, though, is the sense of security it might give to the parents.

The hope is that it is not a false sense of security.

It may or may not help.... I also teach them about ways to respond to strangers, and things like not approaching their vehicle or "helping them find their puppy in the woods". ....and that may or may not help also.

It's proven to help some kids avoid trouble, and cell phone tracking has been proven to help some people locate their missing children.

and as for those who think they won't make mistakes and therefore learn from them... I teach my kids not to place their glass of milk near the edge of the table, and it still sometimes spills. I then teach them that they need not cry over spilled milk. (if there was an app to prevent spilling milk I'd use that also )

 

[damewolf13]

I understand the pros to using this software but its just too easy to abuse and I don't think many parents have the self control to simply sit back and only activate the software in an emergency. Having the option to track your child but only turning on the phone to check after curfew or when they are late to meet you at the car is great. However you have to think about it from the kids perspective too. Do they trust you to not abuse it? If not they will find ways around it. Then instead of having that feature in an emergency you wont have it at all or worse, your kid leaves his cell at a friends house and is without it. You may not think it's a trust issue but I can guarantee they will. My parents required me to keep my cell phone on me at all times (at that time it was the startac flip analog phone lol) and i was ok with that because I still had some freedom. I would not have been ok with being tracked.

My daughter was a problem teen, and the deal was that if she turned off the phone so that I couldn't track it at all, she not only lost her cell phone, but her freedom as well. It was my responsibility to teach her the consequences of breaking rules. Too often, parents turn their back on the responsibility that they take on when they become parents, and that is a shame. Kids NEED guidance! If they prove they are responsible and trustworthy, they earn the respect that goes with that behavior, but if they lie, and cheat, they get no respect. That is true even into adulthood.

 

[Frisco]

I don't believe you can back that up with any real evidence.

Well, there is a suspected Illuminati drawing of Louis XVI with a GPS device in his wig.

Kidding aside, I don't think evidence is needed in a statement about modern technology not being needed in antiquity.

If your response to me was a joke, it's pretty funny. If you're serious, then methinks you're the one challenged to provide evidence of said devices centuries ago used to track kids.

 

[damewolf13]

Well, there is a suspected Illuminati drawing of Louis XVI with a GPS device in his wig.

Kidding aside, I don't think evidence is needed in a statement about modern technology not being needed in antiquity.

If your response to me was a joke, it's pretty funny. If you're serious, then methinks you're the one challenged to provide evidence of said devices centuries ago used to track kids.

You are the one who made a comment you could not substantiate.

 

[Frisco]

You are the one who made a comment you could not substantiate.

Umm.. excuse me, damewolf13, but I think the post you quoted explains quite clearly.

What is coming clear also is that a belief system is in play here with regard to your insistence that substantiation is needed at all with reference to lack of global tracking devices centuries ago.

Religions, cults etc take a turn at the fork in the road of faith and fact; if you want substantiation as to something obvious to all but those in your belief system you're going to have to at least temporarily suspend that belief system in order to understand the facts.

 

[damewolf13]

Umm.. excuse me, damewolf13, but I think the post you quoted explains quite clearly.

What is coming clear also is that a belief system is in play here with regard to your insistence that substantiation is needed at all with reference to lack of global tracking devices centuries ago.

Religions, cults etc take a turn at the fork in the road of faith and fact; if you want substantiation as to something obvious to all but those in your belief system you're going to have to at least temporarily suspend that belief system in order to understand the facts.

Once again, you spew fancy words, with no relationship to the inference that I asked you to reply to. You still can not show why you believe that parents could find out what their teens were doing before technology provided a practical solution. But I understand why, there is no way to substantiate that claim.
Now, spew your fancy words that show how smart you are so that we can all be impressed by you while showing once again that you can not substantiate your statement. I will not reply to your nonsense again.
Done with you!

 

[Frisco]

Once again, you spew fancy words, with no relationship to the inference that I asked you to reply to. You still can not show why you believe that parents could find out what their teens were doing before technology provided a practical solution. But I understand why, there is no way to substantiate that claim.
Now, spew your fancy words that show how smart you are so that we can all be impressed by you while showing once again that you can not substantiate your statement. I will not reply to your nonsense again.
Done with you!

I see issues there that seem over the top. Apparently you feel pretty challenged as to proving there were technological devices centuries ago, and have defaulted to something about finding out what teens were doing.. of course they had relatives and townspeople to speak with, but your first post to me was a response to mine about devices, not about word of mouth or smoke signals.

You suddenly became high strung, angry and abusive. Not good stuff for a conversation anywhere.

Good luck.

 

[byteware]

I see issues there that seem over the top. Apparently you feel pretty challenged as to proving there were technological devices centuries ago, and have defaulted to something about finding out what teens were doing.. of course they had relatives and townspeople to speak with, but your first post to me was a response to mine about devices, not about word of mouth or smoke signals.

You suddenly became high strung, angry and abusive. Not good stuff for a conversation anywhere.

Good luck.

I think what's being inferred, but not stated, is that parents didn't find out what their kids were doing. At least not everything.

And, to some respects, that's a good thing. Kids should get away with SOME things. Even when you know, they should still get away with SOME things...

Of course, it WAS a different world back then.

 

[Frisco]

That inference seems peripheral, hard to arrive at.

If I were in dialog with some Frisco type of person about this, I'd bring up field glasses, telegraph (in later centuries, but still before GPS) and hot air balloons.

 

[damewolf13]

I think what's being inferred, but not stated, is that parents didn't find out what their kids were doing. At least not everything.

And, to some respects, that's a good thing. Kids should get away with SOME things. Even when you know, they should still get away with SOME things...

Of course, it WAS a different world back then.

Thank you, he couldn't figure that out, even when I stated it clearly.

You are right, and kids do need to get away with some stuff imo also, but within reason. If it is something that will affect their future in the long term, parents need to step in. Trust me, I lived it.

 

[IOWA]

Once again, you spew fancy words, with no relationship to the inference that I asked you to reply to. You still can not show why you believe that parents could find out what their teens were doing before technology provided a practical solution. But I understand why, there is no way to substantiate that claim.
Now, spew your fancy words that show how smart you are so that we can all be impressed by you while showing once again that you can not substantiate your statement. I will not reply to your nonsense again.
Done with you!

Proof? How about the centuries worth of generations that existed just fine without these abilities.

How to find out what teens were doing? How about ask them. If you raise your child properly, and teach them virtues such as honesty, and the importance of it, you'd be surprised how inlcined your child will be to be honest with you. If your child is not honest with you, or hides what they are doing, it is a failure on the parents end, a good parent has no need for this kind of technology, and furthermore, this technology would only serve to further alienate the child from their parent, which is a bad thing.

 

[damewolf13]

Proof? How about the centuries worth of generations that existed just fine without these abilities.

How to find out what teens were doing? How about ask them. If you raise your child properly, and teach them virtues such as honesty, and the importance of it, you'd be surprised how inlcined your child will be to be honest with you. If your child is not honest with you, or hides what they are doing, it is a failure on the parents end, a good parent has no need for this kind of technology, and furthermore, this technology would only serve to further alienate the child from their parent, which is a bad thing.

Because you wrote the book on how to be the perfect parent, right?
Thanks, Dr.Spock. but, no thanks!

 

[Frisco]

Because you wrote the book on how to be the perfect parent, right?
Thanks, Dr.Spock. but, no thanks!

All you are doing is responding to factual input, which challenges you, with argumentative, rather emotional retorts.

Fact stated > damewolf13 rant > facts stated > damewolf13 emotional rant > facts stated > damewolf13 abusive rant.

Fact: the human world, and its children, have been going along fine for thousands of years. Now, in 2010, we have somebody telling us that we need to tether our kids with electronics to raise them properly. Who is trying to be Dr. Spock now?

 

[IOWA]

All you are doing is responding to factual input, which challenges you, with argumentative, rather emotional retorts.

Fact stated > damewolf13 rant > facts stated > damewolf13 emotional rant > facts stated > damewolf13 abusive rant.

Fact: the human world, and its children, have been going along fine for thousands of years. Now, in 2010, we have somebody telling us that we need to tether our kids with electronics to raise them properly. Who is trying to be Dr. Spock now?

Beam me up scotty. Seeing how spock was probably the smartest crew member aboard the enterprise, thanks for the compliment.

But back on topic, if you can't trust your kids and they can't trust you, common sense says something you did as a parent was wrong. I never had any trust issues with my parents, and I was quite candid with them.

 

[sebby]

Proof? How about the centuries worth of generations that existed just fine without these abilities.

How to find out what teens were doing? How about ask them. If you raise your child properly, and teach them virtues such as honesty, and the importance of it, you'd be surprised how inlcined your child will be to be honest with you. If your child is not honest with you, or hides what they are doing, it is a failure on the parents end, a good parent has no need for this kind of technology, and furthermore, this technology would only serve to further alienate the child from their parent, which is a bad thing.

I agree 100%

I would rather raise my children up the right way so I could trust them to do the right thing and if they did cock up for them to come and talk to me.

As for tracking them in a emergency, half of them situations I can think of I can't see the benefit of being able to track a phone. Surely the phone would the one of the first things that gets thrown away.

What's next GPS trackers injected at birth ???

 

[Frisco]

What's next GPS trackers injected at birth ???

Isn't that what that first hug is all about?

 

[imtoomuch]

I think good parents don't need to spy on their kids. If you raise your child right, most times they will follow your example naturally and make the right choice most of the time. But I know there are examples of great parents raising their children right and still having them turn out to be horrible. I think some people are just born "bad".

But let's face it. Kids are really smart in some areas such as observing their parents and learning how to "play" them. I can't think of one kid that hasn't done this. But at the same time kids are so stupid. You don't realize that at the age, but as an adult you look back and think how the heck did I not die doing all the stupid stuff I did?

If I ever have kids I will give them the tools to make the right decisions. Then I will go from there on how strict and intrusive I have to be. If my child constantly breaks rules and lies to me I'll be all over them and their lives. But if the child is respectful, honest, and abides by my rules I will try not to have such tight reigns. I'm sure that's much easier said than done, especially if I was the father of a daughter, but it's what I'd like to think what would happen.

I am against this GPS app unless the child proves that they can't be responsible and that they can't be trusted.

Cheating spouses should also be afraid of phone trackers!

 

[rlb4]

Clearly verizyou is a kid as he got very defensive when asked his age and has disappeared. As an adult parent, I would/will use these apps if I deem it necessary. My only concern is the safety of my child, not his "rights".

 

[stainlessray]

Proof? How about the centuries worth of generations that existed just fine without these abilities.

How to find out what teens were doing? How about ask them. If you raise your child properly, and teach them virtues such as honesty, and the importance of it, you'd be surprised how inlcined your child will be to be honest with you. If your child is not honest with you, or hides what they are doing, it is a failure on the parents end, a good parent has no need for this kind of technology, and furthermore, this technology would only serve to further alienate the child from their parent, which is a bad thing.

dude, i've read a lot of your posts, never really had a complaint. but the idea that if there is EVER a trust issue between a parent and child, then the parent has fouled it up is nonsense.

i had a great mother, who worked hard, taught values of family and honesty. taught hard work by doing it. left said difficult job time and time again, just to return me to school. paid for damage i did while in fights, hospital bills dentistry, cooked, cleaned.

But NEVER until i was grown and out of the house did i ever give her a reason to trust me. i was a hothead, to the point of being irrational. irresponsible selfish. NEVER to blame for anything, and walked all over her.

when i look back, i just facepalm at the stupid shit i said and did. She wasn't a perfect person, but that doesn't exist. she was a freakin amazing mom though.

and if any of you would like to quip about the fact that i survived (without gps) to see the error of my ways, don't bother. there's enough about me that members of a forum will never know which would convince you, if you did, that was only by pure chance. i got lucky.

if she had gps to track me, it would have taken much less of her valuable time to seek me out and remove me from harms way and lost less money from her hourly job, all with the piece of mind that she KNEW i was in school.

even if there were such a thing as a perfect parent, not everyone would be. and some of them can use a little tech-help. if we're not using it to be better parents, than what's the freakin point? so you can find something without looking at a paper freaking map? you didn't need one of those gps's a short time ago to get to an amusement park either but you use one now don't you?

 

[IOWA]

dude, i've read a lot of your posts, never really had a complaint. but the idea that if there is EVER a trust issue between a parent and child, then the parent has fouled it up is nonsense.

i had a great mother, who worked hard, taught values of family and honesty. taught hard work by doing it. left said difficult job time and time again, just to return me to school. paid for damage i did while in fights, hospital bills dentistry, cooked, cleaned.

But NEVER until i was grown and out of the house did i ever give her a reason to trust me. i was a hothead, to the point of being irrational. irresponsible selfish. NEVER to blame for anything, and walked all over her.

when i look back, i just facepalm at the stupid shit i said and did. She wasn't a perfect person, but that doesn't exist. she was a freakin amazing mom though.

and if any of you would like to quip about the fact that i survived (without gps) to see the error of my ways, don't bother. there's enough about me that members of a forum will never know which would convince you, if you did, that was only by pure chance. i got lucky.

if she had gps to track me, it would have taken much less of her valuable time to seek me out and remove me from harms way and lost less money from her hourly job, all with the piece of mind that she KNEW i was in school.

even if there were such a thing as a perfect parent, not everyone would be. and some of them can use a little tech-help. if we're not using it to be better parents, than what's the freakin point? so you can find something without looking at a paper freaking map? you didn't need one of those gps's a short time ago to get to an amusement park either but you use one now don't you?

Obviously there are always exceptions to the rule. Now this is a personal question, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but did your mother "spare the rod" so to speak? Also, was your father actively in your life? Divorced? Married? Widowed? Other? There are a ton of circumstances that come into play, and studies show that single parents have their work cut out for them, as the children tend to act out more, and more agressively.

 

[ed_mcnasty]

Let me start by saying that I'm 18, just finished my first year of college, and was a typical problem child throughout high school. I skipped, did more than my fair share of drugs, and up until i got expelled 28 days before grad I kept up my grades and appearances so that i wouldn't appear suspect. I agree that use of these apps should be circumstantial, routinely checking your kids location via GPS isn't how you know what they're doing. If you don't know their friends they can be exactly where they said theyd be trippin off shrooms.You cant rely on a GPS to be a co-parent.

Another issue being raised is the prospect of overprotecting your child. In my past experiences my motivation for doing right was simply not wanting to be caught doing wrong. A GPS only furthers that mentality and would be viewed as an obstacle, not a deterrent. Once the smallest window is opened that kid will squeeze through. IMO you must let your child make mistakes so that they learn to do right for its own sake, as I did.

Just last night I was going to dinner with a friend and when we got to the restaurant there was a 45 minute wait. We decided to just go to DQ and see Inception (awesome movie btw). If you'd checked the GPS and saw your child at the movies, it would have created an insecurity and you would think they weren't trustworthy when in fact, there was a simple change of plans.

I'm not presenting myself as an expert, but as the kid who really shouldnt have been allowed out I can say that the GPS is really not as effective as you think.

 

[mpw]

Beam me up scotty. Seeing how spock was probably the smartest crew member aboard the enterprise, thanks for the compliment...

Part of me hopes that's a joke; but you can never be sure with you IOWA.