# Do you track anyone's phone? Does anyone track yours? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 22, 2022, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047 "2022-09-22T19:51:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/81 "2022-09-25T02:01:27Z")
I don’t think I ever did it to my kids, but I remember other parents say they had their kids take a selfie in the location they said they were going. Old school! ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/82 "2022-09-25T03:14:32Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > so, worthwhile app but def. a **privacy nightmare** It’s worse than you think. > **[The Popular Family Safety App Life360 Is Selling Precise Location Data on Its...](https://themarkup.org/privacy/2021/12/06/the-popular-family-safety-app-life360-is-selling-precise-location-data-on-its-tens-of-millions-of-user)** > > The app is a major source of raw location data for a multibillion-dollar industry that buys, packages, and sells people’s movements Well, maybe slightly less worse because after the blowback from that story, they are selling your personal location data to “just” two companies now. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/83 "2022-09-25T09:19:14Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > I expect having children may change one’s perspective on this as on so much else but I have never had any so I get to ignore that aspect. I have two teenaged kids, and I wouldn’t dream of violating their privacy by tracking their phones. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/84 "2022-09-25T12:23:56Z")
No, my Wife and I don’t. I kind of thought about it though. She takes the dogs for long walks in the mountains around us. Thing is, she pops in and out of cell coverage I’m sure, so would probably not be reliable. I generally know where she is/what trail she is on. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/85 "2022-09-25T12:24:53Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > I have two teenaged kids, and I wouldn’t dream of violating their privacy by tracking their phones. if all **agree** on it, how is it a violation of privacy? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/86 "2022-09-25T12:41:06Z")
We got our oldest kid a phone when she went away to college. In high school, we usually set a curfew, but we didn’t stay up late enough to know if they followed it or not. We told them not to ride with anyone who had been drinking, and to not have us have to pick them up in the hospital or police station. All 3 survived somehow. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/87 "2022-09-25T13:25:53Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > if all **agree** on it, how is it a violation of privacy? well, it could lead to things like: > [@kayaker](#): > > My buddy Mike used to track his son’s phone. When kid was a senior in highschool, he was taking his gf to a movie. Mike’s wife was out of town visiting a sick relative, so we decided to go out to some bars. > > Mike showed me on his phone that his son had picked up his gf and was driving toward the movie theater. Then the car made a turn and started heading towards Mike’s house! Oh, no!!! They were up to nasty stuff!! > > Mike was pissed. We got in his car (he had picked me up) and started driving to catch the horny kids. We parked and entered the house, smoke billowing from Mike’s nostrils. > > The girl was sitting in the living room, prim and proper. Mike yelled, “WHERE’S KID?” > > Girl replied, “he’s in the bathroom, he had to poop”. That just feels like a creepy invasion of privacy. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/88 "2022-09-25T13:49:13Z")
Yeah, the odd thing is, despite my wife and I sharing each other’s location, I do feel somewhat odd about doing that to my kids. Ask me in a few years when they’re teenagers. They’re in K and 3 and don’t even have phones yet. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/89 "2022-09-25T14:15:35Z")
I guess it depends on the kid. Ours (not quite a teenager) has a tendency to forget to tell us where he’s going. We used to drive him to school ourselves. Now we let him walk or bike with the condition that we can track him. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/90 "2022-09-25T14:18:28Z")
My wife and I keep location sharing on for each other. It’s very convenient when traveling if we separate briefly. For instance, if she wants to go look at a certain thing, but I want to go look at something else. Or if one of us disappears to go find a restroom. The other doesn’t need to sit there and wait or follow the other around. We can keep exploring or whatever, and be able to walk straight to their location later. We don’t have to get on the phone and try to describe where we’re at or what we’re next to. We just walk to the blue icon. Sometime I might drop her off while I find parking or something. We can always reunite easily. Just yesterday I picked my wife up at the train station. I knew exactly where the train was, so I didn’t have to keep asking “how much longer”, “is the train running on time”? And when she arrived, she didn’t need to ask where I was parked. She was able to walk straight to me. It’s the same when picking each other up at the airport after a trip. We always know exactly where the other person is. If I’m wondering if she’s still at work or on the way home, or whatever. It’s just a quick glance at the phone to know. I disagree that it has anything to do with a lack of trust. On the contrary, I’d say a couple needs absolute trust in each other to enable such a feature. It’s an easy convenience if you have complete trust in the other person. It’s an annoying invasion of privacy if you don’t. We have nothing to hide from each other, so it’s all pros and zero cons. Even if you can’t see the benefits of it. What possibly could be the negative if you have nothing to hide? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/91 "2022-09-25T14:21:50Z")
My mom, 93 years old absolutely refuses to wear a ‘I’ve fallen and can’t get up button’. It’s crazy. I’m trying to get her some in home help. The owner of the company came to evaluate, and we could talk to him. He suggested I install cameras in the house to keep an eye on her. Now THAT would be creepy. She did fall once but waited for 10 hours before calling me. She did not want to wake me. So instead she called when I was in a face to face meeting with co-workers. Gaaaaa. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/92 "2022-09-25T15:26:40Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > That just feels like a creepy invasion of privacy. yes, that seemed very “off” to me as well. What was the anger about? Is there something worse about having teenage sex in a car v teenage sex in a house? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/93 "2022-09-25T17:49:38Z")
Yeah, i can see sharing location with my husband. I don’t, and there aren’t a lot of times it would be helpful, but i doubt it would ever be a problem. I can’t see sharing location with my kids. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/94 "2022-09-25T18:13:05Z")
For the record, we are not activating location tracking on our tween girl’s phone so we can monitor her activities — “surveillance,” to use the word upthread. We will use it _only_ to find her when specific circumstances warrant. (e.g. she gets on the wrong bus, and calls us. If we ask, “where are you?” she is likely to respond “I don’t know, there are some houses, and I think the bus passed a gas station a couple minutes ago?” This is the type of situation where we will look to see where she is.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/95 "2022-09-25T20:15:58Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > That just feels like a creepy invasion of privacy. Yeah, I could never track my kids, but my friend’s son had done a couple things that justified his actions. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/96 "2022-09-26T02:03:20Z")
When my kids started middle school, the school district put them on metro buses to get them to school across town. That was when I got them cell phones, in case they got lost or had problems with creeps on the bus or whatever. If tracking had been available back then, I definitely would have gotten it. High school would have been another issue, though. Idk what I would have done. Looking back, it would have been really useful, but they wouldn’t have stood for it and would have figured out ways around it (claim to have left the phone in their locker, gotten a burner phone, etc). ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2022, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/97 "2022-10-08T11:54:01Z")
It’s over on the in-laws side that tracking is done. So, my wife and her sister, and their parents, the five of us we all track each other. It comes in handy from time to time. No big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047/98 "2022-10-14T04:21:25Z")
I have the logon to our shared iTunes account (that my husband’s iPhone is linked to), so I could do Find My iPhone if I felt the urge. And he has the login info to check the location of my Android. I made sure of that when I was planning to drive, solo, to Florida to help his parents move. He did check occasionally. And I have (or at least, 6 years ago, HAD) my son’s iTunes password saved - I used it to check on his location a few times when he did his solo Europe trip. I have not told him that I cyber-stalked him. It was tremendously reassuring though, when we didn’t hear from him for several days - I spotted him in a city that he had planned to visit, but later in the trip than he actually wound up doing. I have no clue if he has changed his password. When my daughter did a solo trip a year or so later, I asked her to write her password down in a sealed envelope. She knew about the son’s trip, and didn’t want us to be following her from afar, so we compromised on that solution. And… we got Air Tags for the in-laws to keep in their wallets - because this way if they are ever out of the house and need help, we can help from afar in directing the police or whatever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-track-anyones-phone-does-anyone-track-yours/972047.md?page=4)