My then-teen daughter was the one who introduced me to Life360, a location-sharing app. She and another teenager had already formed a group and wanted to add me so that there would be an adult keeping an eye on their whereabouts.
This was more than half a decade ago, and since then, numerous conversations have been held about the implications of sharing one’s location with others, including the benefits and risks.
Now, experts are considering the implications for an entire generation, and many more parents are facing the same questions I had, including whether the benefits outweigh the risks and where to draw the line.
Let’s Talk About Location Tracking
These days, virtually everyone over 13 is walking around with a tracking device in their pocket (or if we’re being more realistic, in their hand) pretty close to 24-7. According to Statista, it’s estimated that 92% of teens between the ages of 13 and 14 and 97% of teens between the ages of 15 and 17 own a smartphone.
We don’t usually think of it as a tracking device. We think of our cell phones as a tool or toy we can use for shopping, communicating with friends, taking photos, watching movies, playing games, listening to music, and occasionally even making phone calls (if we absolutely have to).
Still, even some of our most popular social media apps, such as Snapchat, are incorporating location-sharing features into their usage.
Then there are apps like Life360, which are specifically designed for location sharing and safety. Yes, it turns out that if you have your location turned on, your teen can tell when you’re at the grocery store and will text you for chips and soda, but that’s not the primary usage.
There is a lot of debate about how much parents should track their kids, with the overall consensus seeming to be that kids should know they’re being tracked and why, and that doing so for safety, within reasonable boundaries, is acceptable.
What About Teens Tracking Each Other, Though?
When my kid told me she and this other teen were sharing locations, it wasn’t too shocking. The two of them were usually in the same place anyway. I was aware of the Snap Maps feature on Snapchat and knew that my kids had turned it off, so I wasn’t worried about the connection with this particular teen.
At the same time, there was a small twinge of concern, because really, should another teen (no matter who) know my kid’s location at all times? What if someone else got their hands on that kid’s phone?
I’ve noticed a comparison between teen location-sharing and how we found each other when we were teens in the 90s. We rode our bikes around town until we found the front yard where our friends’ bikes were piled.
Location-sharing is far more information, though. That ’90s version did not tell us if our friends were out of town at grandma’s, and we couldn’t location-check from our beds and bathrooms.
What Are The Benefits Of Teens Sharing Their Location?
Teens of dating age, and adults (especially women), are often advised to share their location with someone when they date. This might mean giving your friend the address of the restaurant, or literal location-sharing via app.
Ideally, for a teenager, it’s a parent or other trusted adult who knows their location, but sharing their location with someone, even if it’s another teenager, can add a layer of security. (Sharing with a peer may also be good practice for sharing with friends for safety as an adult.)
A teen who knows her friend is going to berate her or report her to an adult for going somewhere unsafe or off-limits might also avoid doing so. (Hey, occasionally we can use peer pressure for good!)
For teens, though, the primary attraction may be that they can sense when their friends are in fun places and join them there.
What Are The Risks Of Teen Location Sharing?
One healthcare executive, Leigh McInnis, told Huffpost that a major concern is the impact on mental health.
Just as a kid may see that two of her friends are at the football game and decide she’s going to join them, she also may see three of her social group at a party and realize she was left out — and that can result in hurt feelings and damage to self-esteem.
Another concern is uncertainty about who has access. An adolescent psychologist shared a story of a teen whose ex-boyfriend kept showing up in the same places she went, until the teen’s mom realized that the boy still had access to her daughter’s location data!
This can be a significant concern — in 2023, WSOC-TV reported on an attempted kidnapping, in which the perpetrator used Snapchat’s location-sharing feature to find his would-be victim.
There is also a general sense that privacy is disappearing in society, and that location sharing during formative years may further normalize this trend.
What Should Parents Do?
There is no single right answer that every parent must implement with their teen.
We must all consider our children’s age, maturity, activity level, and social circle when making decisions.
One thing every parent should do is have a conversation with their teenager about location sharing. At the very least, we should know whether our kids are sharing their location with others, and if so, with whom.
After a conversation, you and your teen can agree on the boundaries to set. You might make a rule that your child can share location with approved friends, or that your teen must also share their location with you, or that location-sharing has to be turned off at certain times. If a complete ban on location-sharing is right for your teen and household, that’s okay too.
Whatever rules you set, make sure to keep the conversation open and continue to listen to your teen’s feelings about how they connect with others.