Tracking the trust
Tracking app brings negativity to teens
Photo by Brooke Knight
With parents checking on their teens whereabouts, this can cause stress for their child.
January 29, 2021
As teens become seemingly more rebellious, parents are looking for new ways to keep track of their children’s every move. Life360 was created in 2008 and has become increasingly popular due to concerned parents wanting to observe their household members’ whereabouts.
Life360 has been a topic of controversy because many teens feel like what is supposed to be the best years of their lives are being stripped away from them by this app. The kids who were forced to download Life360, and hate it, view it as a drain on their life.
“It is a nuisance, and I don’t like it when my overbearing parents want to know my every move,” sophomore Daniel Lee said.
Life360 not only shows the current locations of its users, but also the speed at which they are driving, where they have gone and sends notifications when a family member leaves a designated location.
“I hate Life360 because my mom checks it constantly. She is always texting me saying I am driving too fast even if I am going the speed limit,” junior Jordan Crouch said.
Life360 is far from foolproof though. There are loopholes and glitches that can cause more stress than take away. Life360 is teaching some kids how to sneak around and become untruthful to their parents. Turning your location off takes no genius, and glitches that put kids in random places defeats the purpose of trying to ease parents’ worry.
“My mom thought I was stuck in a ditch because the program paused somewhere on the side of the road. She started freaking out,” freshman Ella Graham said. “I was already to the place I was going to.”
Though most teens wish they did not have Life360, some enjoy the assurance that their parents know where they are. It makes some kids feel safe and can be quite convenient.
“Life360 doesn’t bother me because I’m usually doing what I’m supposed to. It’s also a useful tool, so my parents can help find me; [For example], if something happens or my car breaks down,” junior Emma Burns said.
Life360 doesn’t just let parents watch over their kids, the kids can observe their parents’ location as well.
“Well, I have separation anxiety, so I like to know where my family is and that they’re safe,” sophomore Destiney Deblouw said.
Even though phones are convenient for communicating purposes, for some families, a text or a call is not enough to find out where their other family members are located. Life360 can help with that.
“It really doesn’t bother me because it’s really only used to tell where my parents are, so if I need help with something they can be there,” freshman Cole Gideon said. “It is actually pretty convenient.”
Life360 is not limited to just family groups; it can also be used between concerned and caring friends. Some friend groups at our school share a Life360 to ensure safety and make forming plans easier.
“I like having Life360 with my friends because it’s convenient when we’re going to meet up, when they’re coming over or to make sure they made it home safe after an event,” sophomore Monika Garcia said.
So is Life360 a problem starter or solver? Do the pros outweigh the cons for obsessive parents? Or can it be found useful in different ways? With the number of people downloading Life360 being over 18 million, some must think so.
