According to a survey of more than 1,500 American parents, one in two parents now track the location of their child aged 18 to 25. While this practice often brings a feeling of security, it also raises questions about the privacy, trust and independence of young adults.
When the blue dot on the screen becomes a parental reflex
All it takes is one gesture. Open an app, take a look at a map, check that a child has arrived at their destination. In just a few years, smartphones have profoundly transformed the way families stay connected. Now, seeing where your son or daughter is, even after coming of age, has become a common practice. According to the CS Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, conducted for the University of Michigan Health among 1,542 American parents, 52% of parents of a young person aged 18 to 25 use a geolocation system to track their movements.
This digital surveillance concerns 18-20 year olds more than 21-25 year olds. Girls are also more often followed than boys. Among the parents concerned, 71% indicate that the location function remains activated permanently.
The consultation times reveal parental concerns: when the young person comes home late at night, is in an unfamiliar place, travels in a car with a driver or associates with people the parents do not know.
The main motivation cited remains security. Thus, 68% of parents explain that this practice gives them peace of mind, while 64% believe that it could be useful in the event of an emergency. Others admit to using it to find out if it’s a good time to call (21%), to stay informed about their child’s daily life (17%) or to check that they go to places they consider appropriate (9%).
As Sarah Clark, co-director of the survey, points out: “For some parents, location tracking reduces uncertainty and provides a greater sense of security.”.
But behind this promise of reassurance lies a more complex reality.
A technology meant to reassure… which sometimes fuels anxiety
Today’s parents have unprecedented access to their children’s daily lives. However, more information does not always mean more peace of mind. The study highlights a striking paradox. Among parents who geolocate their adult child, 95% believe that it helps them worry less. At the same time, almost a quarter of them — 23% exactly — recognize that this practice sometimes increases their anxiety.
An unusual journey. An unplanned stop. A phone that doesn’t move for several hours. Every detail can become a source of questions. Sarah Clark warns against this psychological mechanism:
“But constant access to information can also fuel anxiety. When parents can check their child’s location at any time, it becomes harder to resist, especially when they are already worried.”.
This phenomenon is reminiscent of compulsive checking behaviors observed in other digital uses. The more information is available, the stronger the temptation to consult it becomes. And the more frequent the consultation, the more each apparent anomaly can be interpreted as a warning signal.
Faced with these permanently connected parents, another half of families make a different choice. Among parents who do not track their adult child, 65% consider geolocation to be an invasion of privacy. More than half (51%) also fear that it will hinder the development of autonomy and a sense of responsibility.
A concern that Sarah Clark also shares:
“Parents who use location tracking think they are protecting their child. But they can hinder this growing adult from learning to protect himself.”.
In the most extreme situations described by researchers, some parents continue to intervene remotely in the organization of studies, medical appointments or even the professional life of their child who has reached adulthood. This question ultimately refers to a universal challenge of parenting: how to continue to protect without preventing growth?
Finding the right balance between trust, consent and security
The survey shows that most young adults know that they are geolocated. In 96% of cases, parents say that their child is informed of the system. However, only 54% say they really gave them the opportunity to refuse. For Sarah Clark, dialogue is essential:
“When there are no discussions about whether tracking takes place and how it works, it can be experienced as intrusive.”
Another result of the study illustrates the evolution of family relationships in the digital age: 48% of parents say that their adult child also tracks their own location. In nine out of ten cases, this surveillance is even reciprocal. This reality questions our collective relationship to private life. What does it mean to live knowing that someone can, at any time, view their location on a map?
The researchers point out that many young adults already use location sharing with their friends in certain specific circumstances: returning from the evening, traveling at night or meeting an unknown person. The difference often lies in consent and the temporary nature of this sharing. Rather than permanent surveillance, the authors of the survey invite families to think about more targeted uses: define together the situations where geolocation is useful, specify what will be done with the information collected and accept that with experience, trust gradually replaces control.
Because behind the blue dot that moves on the screen there is much more at play than a technological question. It is the symbol of a delicate transition: the one that transforms a child into an adult. A stage where security remains essential, but where learning about freedom is just as important.