When should parents stop tracking their kids' location?

Built-in smartphone apps and location sharing features allow parents to see where their children are at any moment: Did they arrive safely? Are they where they said they’d be? How far away are they if there’s an emergency?

While these tools can provide reassurance, some parents may be crossing a line as their children reach adulthood, according to a new national poll.

Half of parents report tracking the location of their young adult child ages 18-25 at least occasionally, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

But a fourth of these parents say it sometimes makes them more anxious than reassured.

“As children become young adults, there may be questions about whether and when parental location tracking is appropriate,” said Mott Poll Co-Director Sarah Clark, M.P.H.

“Our findings suggest that families are split on where that boundary should be.”

Tracking is common, especially for younger adults

Location tracking is more common among parents of young adults ages 18-20 than among parents of those ages 21-25.

Parents are also more likely to track daughters than sons, according to the nationally representative report based on 1,542 parents surveyed in February.

For many families, tracking is not used occasionally but is a constant presence, with more than two-thirds of parents who track saying the feature is always on.

Fewer than a third use tracking only in certain situations.

Even among parents who routinely have access to their child’s location, certain circumstances are more likely to prompt them to check, including when their young adult is out late at night, in an unfamiliar place, using a rideshare or taxi service or spending time with someone the parent does not know.

The most common reason parents give for tracking is peace of mind.

Parents who use location tracking think they are keeping their child safe. But they might be interfering with that young adult learning to keep themselves safe.”

-Sarah Clark, M.P.H. 

Most say they use location-sharing features to feel reassured about their child’s safety or to be prepared in case of an emergency while about one in five say it helps them know when it’s a good time to call.

Smaller percentages say they use it to stay informed about what their child is doing or to make sure they are in places the parent approves of.

Notably, 11% of parents who track their child’s location say they do not have a specific reason for doing so.

“For some parents, location tracking reduces uncertainty and provides a greater sense of security,” Clark said.

“But constant access to information can also fuel anxiety. When parents can check their child’s location at any time, it may become harder to resist checking, especially when they’re already worried.”

Balancing safety and privacy

Nearly all parents who track their young adult child say their child knows they are being tracked. However, fewer than half say they gave their child the option to decline location sharing.

Among parents who don’t track their young adult child, two-thirds say tracking feels like an invasion of privacy. About half also believe it may interfere with the development of independence and personal responsibility.

“For some families, tracking may be viewed as the default rather than a decision that’s discussed together,” Clark said.

“When there aren’t conversations about whether or how tracking happens, it may feel intrusive. As digital tools continue to evolve, families may benefit from thoughtful discussions about how to balance safety, privacy and independence.”

Learning to let go

While there are certain situations when location sharing may serve as a valuable safety tool, Clark says, parents should remember that young adults can use smartphone safety features without relying on parental oversight.

Many already share their location with friends when traveling, meeting new people or getting home late at night.

This type of peer-based location sharing, she notes, can help support safety while allowing young adults to decide when and with whom they share their whereabouts.

One unexpected finding from the report was that tracking often goes both ways.

About half of parents say their young adult child tracks their location.

In 90% of those cases, the parent is also tracking the young adult child.

That dynamic may give parents a useful perspective, Clark says.

“Parents can reflect on how it feels to have their own location visible to someone else and use that insight to guide conversations with their young adult child,” she said.

Establishing a shared understanding around expectations, boundaries and the purpose of tracking, Clark says, may help reduce conflict and strengthen trust as young adults become more independent.

“Parents who use location tracking think they are keeping their child safe.  But they might be interfering with that young adult learning to keep themselves safe,” Clark said.

“At its worst, constant location tracking can prompt parents to take over management of their young adult child’s daily life, with parents asking why their child isn’t at work, at a doctor’s appointment or in class. With that type of hovering, the young adult has less ownership of their own schedule and obligations and less responsibility to figure out how to be a successful adult.”

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