Best Buy has introduced its own GPS tracking product to the market called the “Little Buddy Child Tracker,” retailing for $100. Its function is to keep track of a child’s whereabouts, and send a text alert to parents when the child leaves a designated safe area.
The device seems to be dividing public opinion. Some see it as its intended purpose: to provide a sense of security to parents who might worry about their children’s safety; others see it as invasive and potentially trust-shattering. As with all things, the reality is what you make it, and it is never as simple as either side makes it out to be.
I understand that in this age, when child predators walk the streets, parents feel justifiably afraid for their children’s safety. On the other hand, at what age is a child allowed to be on his own recognizance? My son is five, and he never goes anywhere without a trusted adult. We don’t feel the need for a child tracker at this time, and he’ll only be allowed out on his own when we feel that he’s developed the knowledge, instincts, and skills necessary to be safe in public without assistance. So it’s unlikely that we’ll use a tracker then, either.
At the same time, there’s nothing wrong with an extra layer of safety. It’s far better to be safe than sorry. But any device that purports to keep track of a child’s whereabouts will be the first thing that a predator looks for to remove, so it fails in that regard. Is there an issue of potential trust lost between parents and children? No, because we’re (presumably) talking about children who are too young to have the necessary urban survival skills, and therefore traditionally don’t consider such issues as “Mommy, don’t you trust me to be out on my own?” By the time that consideration comes into play, the child is old enough to be out with friends, and that is the safety net. So, it’s a complex issue to be sure, but technology by itself is not to blame; it’s how the tech is used that’s important.
