‘Install this so I know where you are… and make sure it’s always on’: Teenage kids slam ‘creepy’ app being used by parents to track their whereabouts
- Life360 app allows parents to track the whereabouts of their kids in real-time
- Teenagers have slammed the ‘controlling’ app in numerous threads on Reddit
- App also sends notifications when member arrives or leaves a frequent location
Teenagers are slamming a new app which allows overbearing parents to track their location at any moment.
Life360 allows families to join a private ‘circle’ where members can see the real-time whereabouts of other participants and receive notifications when a family member arrives at or leaves a frequented location.
The app, which is described as a ‘family networking’ tool, also notifies the circle if a user’s battery is running low.
But the savvy tracking app has been criticised by teenagers who feel their parents are taking control of their lives and freedom.
Life360 allows families to join a private ‘circle’ where members can see the real-time whereabouts of other participants and receive notifications when a family member arrives at or leaves a frequented location
In numerous threads on Reddit, young people have shared their frustrations and discussed the tricks they use to stop their every move from being observed.
‘It’s a tool used by parents who want to stay in control of their kid’s life,’ one person described the app.
‘Agreed. I live with my mum most of the time but my dad insists I have it on my phone. I don’t like my family being able to spy on my every whereabout.’
‘We have the Life360 app to track our family during our vacation because we drove separately but it’s getting creepy,’ added another teenager.
One person suggested: ‘My way around it, is I put my SIM card in an old iPhone, and then leave the one with Life360 on it where ever my parents expect it to be, and then use the phone with my new SIM card so answer their texts and stuff.’
‘This way they actually think I’m with my phone, not just leaving it where they expect to see it!’
Others suggested installing a ‘fake GPS app’ to set the user’s location to home or purchase a ‘cheap burner phone’.
One person shared a text message chain with his mum, who was pressuring him to download the app
One person shared a text message chain with his mum, who was pressuring him to download the app, Yahoo reported.
‘Install this so I know where you are… and make sure it’s always on,’ the parent said.
The child replied: ‘I’m not doing that lmao.’
The mum then attempted to call their son, who lives out of home, pays rent and their own phone bill.
The savvy tracking app has been criticised by teenagers who feel their parents are taking controls of their lives and freedom (stock image)
In numerous threads on Reddit, the young people have shared their frustrations and discussed the tricks they use to stop their every move from being observed
‘I didn’t wanna turn this into a whole thing but since you’re set on being a psycho I’m gonna have to,’ the son said.
‘You’ve been manipulating and controlling me my entire life.
‘If you wanna maintain any sort of relationship with me then start acting rational.’
Life360 describes itself as bringing ‘your family closer with smart features designed to protect and connect the people who matter most’.