When Victoria’s son started school this year, she was nervous about the transition. Following the advice of another mother at her son’s school, she purchased a smartwatch that allowed her to remotely track his location. But the Sydney-based mother, who is using a pseudonym for privacy reasons, says she became obsessive about his whereabouts.
“As a first time mum putting my kid in school, it’s quite daunting. Daycare offers regular updates and photos, so there’s a comfort level in knowing you can keep an eye on them. But at school, it’s a totally different story.
” The use of tracking technology with kids raises a number of questions – none easily answered – around ethics, privacy and childhood development. Credit: Bethany Rae She says she was unable to relax and eventually stopped using the watch. It’s become increasingly common for parents to use location tracking apps with their kids, like Apple’s Find my iPhone and the Australian-owned family location sharing app Life 360.
According to a 2019 survey from the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) , one in five Australian parents reported doing so. But the use of such technology raises a number of questions – none easily answered – around ethics, privacy and childhood development. The relationship between tracking and safety The main message, both behind the marketing of such technology and parents’ reasons for using it, is that tracking increases safety.
But Dr Simon Coghlan, a senior lecturer in digi.
