The year 2020 is upon us and so are digital apps that can track your every movement. Parents around the world have a constant bird’s-eye view of their children. The exact speed at which you are driving can be directly monitored. Even your phone battery life can be tracked. This app is called Life 360. There seem to be two sides debating whether Life 360 is completely appropriate or, on the other hand, an invasion of privacy and trust. 

On one hand, Life 360 makes parents feel safe when their kids are out in the real world. The digital app has the ability to track a user’s exact location. During an interview with Shea Boncher, who is a parent that uses Life 360, she was asked why she uses the app. She said “I have the app because when my son started driving, I would want to know when he arrived at his destination. He continually forgets to call or text. The app alerts me that he arrived safely.” The app can also send alerts to a parent’s phone when a child reaches a certain location, go above the speed limit, or turns off their tracking. Parents like Shea Boncher use the app for the safety of their kids, but many other children feel the app has taken control of their life and privacy.

It is fair to say that most teenagers and especially ones who drive think Life 360 is an invasion of Privacy. Driving reports are sent to parents showing the speed limit on the road and how fast they were going. Amber Johns is a Senior at Pennridge Highschool and her parents use Life 360. She says, “It shows that my parents don’t trust me. It’s annoying that they don’t trust me and I’m almost an adult and they still control where I go”. The app has the potential to ruin the trust between a child and their parents. A parent was asked why she doesn’t use life 360 and she said, “It’s invasive and I think it’s creepy”. She was then asked if Life 360 makes kids sneakier. She says, “yes because they will find ways to get themselves unseen”. Overall, Life 360 does have negative effects between a parent’s trust with their children. Parents need to be aware that the app has more abilities than just tracking their kids. It can cause major divides between trust and the relationship that a child has with their parents.