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Health Professionals Urge Parents to Rethink Child Tracking as Use Widens

Clinicians say routine monitoring is linked to rising youth anxiety, reducing autonomy.

Overview

  • More than 70 psychologists, doctors and nurses issued a public call for parents to reconsider constant location surveillance of children.
  • UCL educational psychologist Dr Gavin Morgan warns that tracking erodes trust and self-reliance and can increase parental stress by creating an illusion of control.
  • Life360 reports 6.5 million monthly active users in the UK, while a Unite Students poll found 67% of parents of first-year university students track their child’s location.
  • Life360 CEO Lauren Antonoff argues location apps provide peace of mind and help families coordinate as children gain independence.
  • Campaign group Generation Focus and other critics contend there is no evidence that tracking actually makes children safer.