As you probably aren’t aware, your cell phone can be used to locate you whenever the phone is turned on, even if you aren’t on a call, and even if you think you have the GPS function disabled. The government has long taken advantage of this ability, tracking people even without probable cause.
To make it more palatable, several wireless carriers are now offering this functionality as a service to parents to track their children.
And of course, some parents are eating it up. Surprisingly, so are the kids. Wichita, Kan., resident James Davis subscribes to a Sprint service to monitor his 14 year old stepdaughter.
“It’s kind of expensive to do but peace of mind because I can know where she is,” Davis said. “You’re never too old to get kidnapped. My kids, they’d probably bring them back. But just in case. … As long as my daughter has her cell phone on her, for a fee, I can know exactly where she’s at. . . .
“When you’re 14, you don’t have the right to complete privacy,” said Davis, who also monitors his stepdaughter’s e-mail and cell phone usage. . . .
Lynn, Maggie and Kurt Rich – 14, 11 and 10, respectively – think such devices are “cool.”
John Rich said he wasn’t surprised his children thought monitoring tools were a good idea.
“They’re not troublemakers,” he said. — Wichita Eagle
Let’s take a look at some of these services.
Disney Mobile’s Family Locator service is the most basic. It allows parents to determine the location of their children in real time.
The Chaperone Service from Verizon Wireless allows parents to monitor their children’s locations in real time as well as be notified if their children leave predefined “zones” of where they’re expected to be. Verizon notifies the child’s phone by text message if their parents look up their location.
Teen Arrive Alive, provided through Nextel, allows parents to track their children in real time as well as determine the direction and speed they’re traveling. They also provide “Am I driving safely?” decals for the back of teenagers’ cars.
It may well be a good thing for many parents to be able to locate their children, especially in an emergency. But I’m afraid that this technology is making children accustomed to being tracked at all times, and therefore the next generation will grow up without an appreciation for privacy, and with a quiet acquiescence to the coming surveillance state.
Homeland Stupidity maintains an affiliate relationship with T-Mobile, which to the best of our knowledge does not offer a child tracking service.
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Jason Finkelstein
Jan 04, 2007
Hi Michael,
You didn’t mention the name of the Sprint service. It’s called Sprint Family Locator.
And, to your italicized point at the bottom, neither T-Mobile nor Cingular (GSM carriers) offer location services at this point.
Cheers,
Jason
BelchSpeak
Jan 04, 2007
Mike,
Don’t forget. No one makes anyone carry a cellphone. Don’t wanna be tracked? Fine. Don’t get a cellphone.
Jason Finkelstein
Jan 04, 2007
or, just turn the phone off! no mobile phone can be located if it is not connected to the network.
V
Jan 04, 2007
Phone companies have a process by which they will allow the police to use GPS tracking with the owner’s consent in an emergency. It’s used for runaways. If a kidnapper isn’t dumb enough to shut the cell phone off and get rid of it, it will work to find them as well.
These services are unnecessary and serve only as intrusive ways for paranoid parents to monitor their children without having to call and ask “where are you?”
forstand
Jan 04, 2007
Michael,
In this case I believe that your generalization went too far. You do make a valid point but let’s face it, kids are smart. When they want their privacy to lose their virginity they will do so. A Faraday cage is the obvious solution. Pulling the battery is another and far simpler.
Kids will never accept a loss of privacy. They will work around it, much like my step-daughter attempted and/or succeeded at. Unfortunately for her I am smarter or at least I think I am; but she had help.
Dignon
Jan 12, 2007
To BelchSpeak, having a cel phone is a near necessity in today’s world, so opting out of having a cel phone is not a realistic option. A much wiser solution is for the manufacturers and carriers to allow users to simply turn of GPS tracking.
To Jason Finkelstein, actually, it has recently be revealed that the FBI has the ability to remotely listen in on any cel phone in the USA – even if it is turned off. It is reasonable to assume that if they have that capability, certainly they can also read information from the GPS in the phone as well.
These issues were recently discussed in some detail on the PublicPrivacy podcast ). It was the December 2006 episode, I believe… You might want to take a listen, very interesting stuff!
Jan 13, 2007
links for 2007-01-13 | .get privacy
Kevin Fields
Jan 14, 2007
I disagree with Dignon, having a ceelphone is not a “near necessity”, it’s a “near narcissity”. Too many people think that they are so important that they have to have a means for the world to contact them 24/7.
I have worked in the tech industry for many years. One of the first things I let my clients know is that I do NOT carry a cellphone on me. Although I am home most of the time, and I’m available at home most of the time, at the times I am not home, it is because I’m doing something that doesn’t make myself available to them. In those times they will have to rely on others who I have entrusted to take care of their needs, or if they insist on only dealing with me, they will have to wait.
I’ve never had one person complain about this at all. Only once have I ever had a regular cellphone, a brief relationship that I quickly ended due to the provider mis-stating the terms of the contract. I’ve used pre-paid phones off and on over the years, but I’ve not used one now for almost three years. I still keep that phone in my van for dialing 911, which I use a couple of times a year at most.
I understand Michael’s point completely, but I think he under-estimates the cleverness of children. Parents who think that they finally have the one-up on their mischevious children eluding them are just being deluded into paying for a service that their mischevious children will disable. This shouldn’t be seen as a substitute for talking with your children and knowing where they are all the time, but another tool used for “peace of mind” at best.
Jerry Clare
Jan 22, 2007
Listen. last Friday , My 13 year old son got mad at me and just left the house – after 5 hours we finally got him safely home. He would not answer his phone calls from me – we finally tracked him down thru 15 of his friends. Without the friends phone numbers – we would have had to call the police – in NYS if you are under 16 – you are asking for family trouble and lawyer fees upwards of $37,000. My sons verizon phone comes up for renewal in 6 months – I want the piece of mind of tracking him until he reaches the age of 18. Hopefully none of you will have to go thru the nightmare we just went thru.
Michael Hampton
Jan 23, 2007
Of course.
The benefits of this sort of tracking are easy to understand and appreciate, especially if something happens to one of your children.
It’s the drawbacks that are rarely explored.
But like anything else, I feel the parent should make this choice after being fully informed of both sides.
Jack
Jan 23, 2007
If you carry a “TAP & GO” or “PAY PASS” or other various named cards that don’t need swiped to use without foil around it you are already transmitting. Not only are you in danger of having your identity stolen by thieves they as well as others could be tracking you.
Don’t fool yourself thinking that the same folks that can fake the front of an ATM can’t aslo decode the signals sent out by these cards and steal the info as you pass them in a mall and more.
My parents tracked us with their eyes and had no need for devices because we also didn’t run amuck unsupervised.
Retz
Jan 29, 2007
There are valid points pro and con for “tracking” anyone. Safety always seeming to head the list. It’s not “give me liberty or give me safety”, but rather, “Give me liberty, or give me death”. What with all the legislation for just about anything you do these days, no one really has liberty any longer. Most people are knowingly sacrificing liberty for “safety”. And in doing so, are unwittingly raising a generation of humans who will not only accept, but will embrace this “safety” measure as a sort of guarantee that they will come to no harm using it. And if you stop and think about it…is anyone ever really “safe”? Not by a long shot.
Why is the American public standing idly by, as our “freedom, with liberty and justice for all…” is being “traded” for “homeland security”? Why do we embrace these lies, and give up the most basic premise upon which this country was founded? People, our ancestors, died so that we could be free! No one seems to remember that.
To even entertain the idea that “tracking” anyone is a positive, and/or safe action, is only kidding themselves. It is an infringement on privacy, under 18 yrs. or not. How do we teach our youngsters to respect and extend privacy, if they never experience it?
Huh?
Feb 07, 2007
ok.. sooo.. what’s the downside? This article just gushes over tracking children. Why don’t you trust your children in the first place? Did you not raise them well?
Michael Hampton
Feb 07, 2007
I made the downside perfectly clear — to anyone who reads, instead of skims, the article.
Ed
Feb 11, 2007
I’m not too worried about the Government tracking my cell phone currently. If I was a criminal or terrorist my cell phone of choose would be the Tracfone or similar. Let see I can go to Wal-Mart pay cash and buy a prepaid nationwide prepaid card by cash and nobody knows who or where I am. If I think my number has been compromised I throw away the phone and buy a new one again all by cash. If I’m paranoid then I just throw away the phone once a month and buy a new one every month by cash. They only cost about $20 dollars. Nobody will ever know who I am until the government closes that loophole. As far as I know the smart kid could do the same.
Anonymous
Apr 12, 2007
Better duck now, the blakc helicopters are swarming.
These are perfect inventions for parents with extremely over active or misguided children. As an example, my three year old holds no fear of anything, or anyone. At at large public places, mall, exhibition centers, theme parks, he can be gone in an instant. Having the ability to locate him quickly would be a godsend.
Sure there is no substitute for good parenting, but then again, Jeffrey Dalmer is a new phenom too, shouldn’t the tools be available to the public if desired.
By your logic, we call can walk, so why do we need cars?
Dave
May 07, 2007
for every security measure, there is a counter-measure. The kid will ‘forget’ to turn on the phone, or loan it to a friend goin to the library, or strap it to a dog and send U on a wild ride… The kid will have another cell for HIS/HER use IF he/she is up to no good. CHances are he/she is NOT doing bad things, in which case you are wasting a lot of money that you could be spending more wisely on your kid’s future.
If you are worried about kidnapping, move, or smarten up about being a target… A cell phone is not going to save them from harm and ‘real’ kidnappers know all about this stuff.
Amy
Jun 10, 2007
WOW!! The only comment I have about this, is the response from Huh?…one of the only people to not use a name of course….
They wrote: Why don’t you trust your children in the first place? Did you not raise them well?…The word stupidity was perfect on this page, with this kind of response…..I agree that good and attentive parenting is part of the solution, but are you kidding me? Are there people truly dumb enough that they think this is the cause of some of the horrific events that take place?!? People are getting scarier and scarier as each day passes…If you would actually read the headlines out there, you would realize that most of the people doing these things, are the same people that most good parents are teaching their children to trust. Examples…family members, teachers, police force, church members…www.101reasons.org…Im not giving the link for homeschooling purposes…just for you to see real articles…it might just make you rethink some things…Even the best parent in the world isnt immune to the crazies of our lifetime.
John
Sep 12, 2007
Hi Amy, thanks for your response. It is amazing how most people in their responses are talking about parenting and how kids can get around it and that’s the only thing they mentioned.
I trust my kid but I don’t trust the rest of the world. My kid is at a vulnerable age (11). It is easy for him to get to his friends on a bike a couple of blocks away. So because I trust him and I have raised him well, at least I think I have, I let him go there. When he gets there he calls. But, as I have said, what I don’t trust is other people. So how long do I wait for him to call? Do I wait 10-15 minutes in case he just for forgot or got involved in something as soon as he got there? How far can a car get in 15 minutes? He could be way across town and I would never find him. Because I have raised him right, I shouldn’t worry about others, right? At least that’s what you guys are saying. Maybe none of you saw that episode on Oprah where they had all these people who had “raised their kids right” and then they had the “bad guys” come and easily lure the kids to their cars.
Because I have raised my kid right, I would feel comfortable explaining to him what the device is for and how I would use it. No, right now he doesn’t have a device. I’m doing research and came across this. It is amazing to me the people who don’t think that anything will ever happen; the people who don’t read/watch the news as Amy mentioned; and the people who believe that if they don’t think about it, it will not happen to them.
brian
Sep 19, 2007
my daughter just got her phone stolen, is there a website I can go to to track stolen phone and find it. I would love to see the expression on their face when I show up.
Natalie
Sep 26, 2007
Michael,
When perverts start keeping their hands off our children, THEN we can all have some privacy back.
I actually don’t need to track my teen, I trust him…
it’s my 9 & 6 yr old kids that I would like to be able to track if they go missing.
lucy
Oct 12, 2007
i swer the police cant trak u down if you switch of the fone and take the batery out…am i right or wrong ??
King
Dec 17, 2007
If tracking children was illegal, I would be in jail. No law is against it. I have nothing to hide should the law enforcement unveil my location or listen to my phone conversations. This does not bring chills to my spine, my inability to find my child should he/she disappear, does. That, and the children that were kidnapped, raped and murdered, started me on my way to helping parents prevent crimes on their own terms. I am the Invinc-A-Kid, , featured on Dr. Phil Jan-08. Parents, what you give up as your privacy is laughable compared to the piece of mind you gain from having the ability to track. Yes, predator can find and toss it… How far? Only far enough to give police an exact search location, vs. the whole world. Time is of essence, you will have a 90% better chance with GPS than without. Remember, of all children that were kidnapped AND killed, 68% were killed in the first 3 hours! You simply don’t have time to call police to track a cellphone or pings! By the time they obtain a formal search warrant or a court order, it may and will be too late for most victims of abduction regardless of their age. My vision? A predator that is afraid of me as a parent, afraid of the law becasue it’s too tough (death penalty), and afraid of street-savvy children that will turn them in! Break the life-long chains! Make him scared for his very mismal existence! Children? They should be able to play outside. That’s my dream. What is yours?
JohnB
Jan 22, 2008
Every phone made today can be located. it does not matter what carrier you are on. Four years ago we could locate, live, on a map, any t-Mobile phone instantly. (I worked for them) all we needed was the phone number and the phone had to be on.(on a call or not). The only way you cannot find a phone is to shut it “off” or pull the battery. In 1983 when the first “Cell” phones where in use we could find them(it was a little harder and you had to get in a car and locate them). I would like to see it more available to the average person. We already have “big brother” looking at us when they want to, so we might as well get some use out of it. There is plenty of bandwidth so the “overload thing” is invalid. Just my 2cents
slight9
Feb 12, 2008
“If you are worried about kidnapping, move, or smarten up about being a target… A cell phone is not going to save them from harm and ‘real’ kidnappers know all about this stuff.”
Move? You tell me where there is a community guaranteed to never have a kidnapper, and then you can suggest I move. Smarten up about being a target? I am a former law enforcement officer, and I have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, although I rarely do, but I think I know about being a target. My 2 year-old, however, does not. It just takes a moment for a child to be taken, even if you are watching him closely.
A cell phone CAN save them if you are able to get to them before something is done to them. And what are “real” kidnappers?
I would rather do everything I can to protect my child from abduction, and never have to use it, than never use it and something happen to them. You have to be vigilant all the time, the abductor just has to be successful once.
aaron
Jan 18, 2010
kidnappers aint dumb theyll just start throwin the phones away.
User
Mar 08, 2010
I think the majority is just missing the whole point here. First of all, I doubt any of us are that important for the gov’t, or anyone else for that matter, to have a reason to track us unlawfully. Secondly, we live in a ridiculous time were pervs and predators are at large. Has nothing to do with privacy, or the way one has raised their children. All it takes is a split second for a child to get snatched up and I’m sure we’d all be appreciative of some way to track that child if we were in the predicament. I’m with ‘Slight9′ on this one. Truth be told NO ONE has any real privacy w/ modern technology, so why not look at the positive end of tracking devices instead of finding something trivial to gripe about?
16 years old
Mar 14, 2010
I was very interested to hear all that was said here, but let me say this: right or wrong tomorrow my parents WILL be putting tracking software onto my phone. I am a good student (A’s and B’s in school), I have a 27 on my ACT, and take all honors and Advanced Placement classes.
My parents believe this to be necessary because I there 16 year old perfect child have been sneaking out of the house and partying. I have know problem being tracked if it were for some anti-kidnapping precaution, however this is not the case. My parents refuse to give me the responsibility due to me, regardless of achievement.
I do not intend to turn off my phone when i go out, or strap it to a dog for a wild goose chase as was suggested. I am tech savvy enough that when i receive my freshly tampered phone i will blatantly delete the app. i have felt violated by this process and while I cannot be used as an example for all kids i can assure you that personally if my parents would handle me more like the adult that i am becoming rather than a pet we would be able to find a safe compromise for both parties.
As a final reinforcement to my position I would like to also say that the information about my involvement with parties and sneaking out of the house was surrendered willingly two days ago. I ask for your response for, I am interested in ANY views on this real world situation in which there are no “what if’s”.
Herman
Mar 19, 2010
After reading all the pro’s, con’s, down sides, privacy/liberty rights and goverment conspiracy theories ….
Can someone take a look at this link and tell me how a child locator would or would not have helped in this situation that spanned several days?
“http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33410779/”
@16 years old – I understand your issues with your situation… I was in a similar boat when I was your age. I know you feel violated and are angry with the way your parents have handled the situation. However, and keep in mind that I do not know all the details of your situation, I suggest you take a step back and ask your self the question (This is for you and only you, no need to post an answer here)…
Did I in any way gave my parents any reason (Sneak out of the house, Went to a party with out their knowledge, etc) not to trust me or to take the actions they did?
Am I friends with kids that have tendencies to do things that will cause my parents, by association, to not trust them or myself?
Put yourself in your parents shoes and honestly ask yourself… If I had a 16 year old that did (what ever it is that cause them to take this action) what would I do?
The answers you give yourself may be what you were looking for in your post.
In my situation, when I was about your age, I felt the same way when my mom listened to my phone calls on another extension or kept close tabs on me… But in retrospect, now that I have a son, I can honestly say that she had valid reasons to… I was hanging out with the wrong crowd and doing things a 15/16 year old kid should not be doing. I was trusted and treated as a responsible person until the day I did something to show I could not be trusted at that age with the crowd I was hanging with.
I also feel that your parents may not be handling the communications with you properly on whatever the issues are, but only you know your real situation and you are the only one that truly determine that.
As far as other view’s in where there are no ‘What if’ situations…
Whan my son was 8, I was at Universal Studios Florida with some friends, and due to miscommunication I lost my son for about 30 minutes in the park. A friend and her son when to buy drinks and asked if my son would like to go with them, I said yes and they started walking, my son came back to give me something to hold and took after them. About 10 minutes later my friend came back and ask me where was my son. I said with her, and she said he didn’t go with them that he came back to me right after they left. Turns out when my son took after them after he came to me, he could not see them due to the croud around us… when he turn to come back to me a second time, he couldn’t see me. Some lady saw him standing there and asked him if he was lost and tried to help him locate us. After a few minutes, she took him over to security office which is at the main entrance in the park.
A lot can happen in 30 minutes to a child. I got my son back but other people are not that fortunate… (Check FBI’s Missing and Exploited Childrens site)
My views on Locator Devices and Cell Phone Tracking are the same as with anything else… Used resposibly, they can be great things and can help save lives, used irresponsibly… then they can be really bad things.
Someone mentioned walking vs cars – Well if you live 10 minutes from a hospital and you need medical care a car can help you get that medical care faster than walking. On the other hand… give that same car to a reckless tennager (Not aimed at @16 Years Old) that does street racing… then the story is different…
Gun control – Not mentioned on any post, but serves as an example…
Goverment wants better control of Guns… They implemented a 3 day waiting period also knows a “cool off” period.
The problem is that a gun in the hands of a responsible person poses no threat to anyone. On the hands of a bad guy…
And the sad part with gun control is that the groups that pushed for Gun Regulations missed the real issue… The bad guy who could care less about Gun Laws because as a bad guy, he gets the guns in the streets as they are not traceable. But I disgress… the point being Guns used responsibly, no threat to anhyone.
Same with location tracking devices… The news article a submitted at the beginning of this article is about a little girl that dissapeared after school.
The search for her lasted several days and did not have a happy ending.
(Before anyone that reads the story start finding faults on the people involved, please remember that there is no point in finding blame on anyone at this time as regardless of who may be at fault, the story ends the same)
With a tracking device used responsibly, the police and rescue crews would have been able to pinpoint the last place she was at (Regardless of whether she was still wearing it or someone took it and tossed out on the street. When I someone (Kid, Tennager, Adult) dissapears the police can not do anything until a certain amount of time has passed (Many kids end up going to a friends/ relative/ neighbors house, etc before going home) or there is physical evidence that a person’s safety is at risk.
Finding the child locator on the side of the street, a dumpster, garbage can etc I believe qualifies as physical evidence to start a search. The locator can also tell where was the last place the child had the device and police can looking for clues on that area. Clues, tips, etc can be found faster when the search area is small compared to a large area.
In regards to other comments about being a better parent, doing a good job at rasing kids, learning not to become a victim…
Hmmm…
Can someone tell me how to not get car jacked on a highway/free way?
(Seen several police videos that show the bad guys running from the police and car jacking people so that they can continue fleeing)
How to know not to go into a bank because in 5/10 minutes is going to get rob and I may be taking as a hostage to ensure the robber’s safe passage around police?
How to not get mugged in a good neighborhood, shot and dumped in a ditch somewhere to be found days later?
These are all real world events that are outside our control regardless of where we live, what we are taught as kids (or Adults for that matter), or how close supervision we have (As kids, teenagers or adults).
Keeping close taps on a responsible tenager (Again, not aimed @16 Years Old) is not going to keep him from getting hurt in a car accident caused by a reckless tenager that ran a red light while street racing ( This one was aimed at 16 Years Old – Jokingly) where an ambulance is going to take him to a hospital of their choice , getting mugged while on the way to school, etc, etc, etc
Location tracking… IS NOT JUST FOR KIDS. Teenagers, Adults, Senior Citizens benefit from this type of techonology if used responsible.
We, as members of today’s society, need to open our eyes and realize the world is not what it used to be when we were kids. It has changed…
Sexual Predators are popping everywhere including good neighboorhoods. Economy is down and unemployment high… I don’t care how comfortable you living is… You neighboor may have lost his job and has not been able to find work for years and has turned to a life of crime… You never know when bad things will happen to you or a love one.
I know is a grim view of the world… but it is reality… Check the news…
check the fbi wanted list, check the sexual predators location database (One may be living next to you and you don’t know it), check the missing and exploited children’s web site.
I have a locator for my son (12 Years old), but I do invade his privacy by checking if he is where he told me he was going to be. I got it after the Universal Studios incident as I decided that as a parent I do not want to leave my child’s safety and well being in someone else’s hands. I discussed the device with him, discussed why I got it, show him it works and show him the information I get from it and allow him to ask questions about it.
I combined that with the normal responsiblity and trust building rules that I feel (To 16 years old point) kids should have…
Tell me where you going to be, Who will be with you, when you will be back (Whether I set the time or allow him to set the time I ask him to tell me so I know he knows when he should be back), call me when you get there, call me when you are leaving.
He knows that me asking to call is to determine how long I should wait before looking for him… if teh walk from Tina’s house is 10 minutes, I wait 20 minutes and if I have not received a call, I call Tina to make sure he got there and he forgot to call and Tina forgot to remind him to call. If Tina tells me he didn’t get there then I, by our rules, I now have a right to locate him via the device. Again, using the technology responsibly and allowing him to grow as a responsible person.
I know this has been long winded, but the points here are…
The technology, if used responsibly:
Is not a bad thing
Does take privacy away
Can save lives
Provides peace of mind to love ones
If parents and kids discuss and set rules about the use of the technology and both respected the rules, kids will not “Accidentally lose”, tamper, turnoff, remove, etc from the device.
I do not agree with notion that this technology should be used recklessly to spy on people with the intent of “identifying” whether I should trust the person or not. People, as well as kids, need to be able to make mistakes and learn from them. The basis of whether trust is given or removed should be on the basis of the mistakes they make and getting caught and not on the fact we are spy on them.
Spying on people should be left to the Goverment and to the people with low self steam that need constant validation that someone is being truthful to them. Unless of course, you are a kid and you blatanly broke the trust by doing something worng and getting caught; in which case I say, “Suck it up and live with the punishement like any other reponsible person does. I did”
Herman
Mar 19, 2010
Correction!!!
“I have a locator for my son (12 Years old), but I do invade his privacy by checking if he is where he told me he was going to be.”
Should read: “I have a locator for my son (12 Years old), but I do NOT invade his privacy by checking if he is where he told me he was going to be.”
That is: I do not invade his privacy.
I apologize for my ortographical erros… It is late for me and I am tired.
Michael Hampton
Mar 20, 2010
Herman, the Somer Thompson case is truly tragic. At least the police have a fairly good idea who did it, though it’s still a long way away from over.
I’ve learned a bit more about location technology in wireless phones since this article was published, and I can say that it would not likely have allowed Somer Thompson to be found alive.
regina
Apr 19, 2010
I am intrested in talking with a parent who monitirs their child. If you are inetrested. Please email me at: rorsogna@rnntv.com.
William Pickering
May 05, 2010
Most of the time, I see it posted that you can’t track a phone if it is off. Unfortunately, this is not true. A phone can be activated via remote, then tracked. It is more effective to remove the battery.
Yes, I know this sounds as if it comes from a paranoid freak, but it is not. Rather coming from someone who uses such technology to track my vehicles. I like the idea to pull up and view my vehicles sitting in my drive on a map (or at a shop). And I can tell you, most GPS enabled phone can be turned on via remote.
William.
Jake
May 19, 2010
William why would you tell people that, I take it your probly a child molester that encourges kids to sneek out.
Kids and parents LISTEN CLOSELY!!!!!!!
“The U.S. Department of Justice reports:
797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one-year period of time studied resulting in an average of 2,185 children being reported missing each day.
Kids get kidnapped, rapped, beaten and sometimes murdered. The majority are never seen again.
You kids that think your so grown up, This can happen to you do NOT try to find someway to sneek out and around your parents rules they care about you. They may seem over protective but its cause they have a better understanding of this screwed up world.
It happens alot more then the world will admit. Dont end up some freak shows sex slave / punching bag.
there is nothing wrong with insuring your childs safety, at any age . You kids better realize this world has some twisted people out there and they may live next door and seem like a normal Mr. Rogers type but next thing you know he follows you to the mall graves you in the parking lot when your alone smashes you into the trunk takes you to his raoe room beats you rapes you passes you around to his twisted friends and sells you off where you spend the rest of your life being treated and beated like a chew toy never to see your friends and family again … Think about it
Jake
May 19, 2010
To think of it someone from this site should figure out where this william guy is located he is probly a child molester and has kids locked in his basement or something… Understand kids people like him who encourge you and tell you how to sneek out and avoid being tracked are the ones hinding in the shadows waiting to get you …. he is a freak
Kris
Jun 19, 2010
I have 5 young boys I absalutly hate cell phones for teens. Tracking seems like a good idea but unless you can have it put under the childs skin where they can not take it off leave it somewhere or damage it whats the point. With cell phones you call or text a kid just to be lied about where they are who who they are with lets face it they are kids and they will try to get away with anything.
With really young kids having the GPS tracking devices that you can hook to them maybe but who really lets young children go to far any way & if kidnapped they are gonna remove anything they can find on the kid that would get them cought.
So to that being said yeah I would love to be able to keep an eye on my kids to give them a little more freedome but the only true way is to get off your butt and check on them yourself from time to time give them the chance to prove they can be trusted and you can trust them. Kids are smart they where there is a will there is away. After all most kids can hack your computer better then you can run the simplest of programs.
I wish all who use these devices and options luck but don’t forget to just talk to your kids and build a relationship vs letting a divice be your peace of mind.
Charlie
Jul 14, 2010
I found this discussion because I am looking for a gps for my 3 year old. She will be starting preschool this year. I do NOT want to get her a cell phone, that would just be stupid, especially since shes still working on knowing her numbers. I don’t for a second think that shes going to go running all around town taking drugs and drinking. However, I am concerned about the potential of her being abducted. I have no need to map her movements on a day to day basis, but in my mind, its like an insurance policy. I hope like hell I never have to use it, but if I do, I will be damn glad I have it. Yes, maybe someone who is abducting a child would have the time to preform a proper search and locate a small, non cell phone gps, because ya know, I don’t think most people abducting kids are in a big hurry to get outta the area and will do a good search first. If they do find it before I am alerted my 3 year old is moving at 65+ mph across state lines, at least I know the direction they were going. Basically, I think its worth the peace of mind, and I don’t give a rats ass if my 3 year old thinks I am invading her privacy. I just wish there was one with a princess or a doggy on it.
Christine
Mar 19, 2011
Back in 1992 my daughter and I had left our abuser. He put me head first through a rot-iron door in 1993. He had punched her in the nose, mouth and pulled her shoulder out of it’s socket. She was 19-months old at the time. He told the judge, “I have every right to parent my child as I feel fit.” The judge disagreed! In 1994 he made one of his first threats to abduct our child. In 1995 he made 3 more threats and admitted to these threats in court. He was placed on supervised visitations for a time. In early 1997 he vanished with our daughter without benefit of a court order. He did this after he was taken off supervised visitations. I did not know where our child was for 1-1/2 years! He would periodically take her to a pay phone to have her call. She was 6-1/2 when he vanished with her. He had her in 5 different schools, but because of an inability to transfer school records he had to remove her. He would drive hours to use a pay phone! When we were reunited 1-1/2 years later we had a CPS worker supervise our reunion. He stated in court, “It was as if they’d not seen each other for 24 hours and not 1-1/2 years.” I was one of the blessed parents…I was able to locate my child, but some are not so lucky! I would have welcomed such a device! I encourage EVERY parent to get one of these devices, because one never knows, especially those who are going through a divorce or have just recently.
joe
Dec 07, 2011
im a teen.i do private detective work on the side,i may be getting a german sheperd as my partner,parents who would track thier kids are idiots,they are driven by thier primal insticts and don’t have any smarts and/or common sense,want piece of mind,let them carry a bb/airsoft gun,youre probly thinking airsoft,people play games with that,they may,but if you get someone in the ankle,it will knock them down long enough for you to RUN away
and maybe call the cops,if that does happen,CALL THE COPS,don’t want them to
carry a gun? get them a doberman or a german sheperd,and train it to protect your kid (it will bite and hold the attacker),its virtully priceless to train one,let that be your piece of mind,tracking devices suck because
1.they could fail.
2.they may be inaccurate,and if you give the
cops the wrong location,depending on where
you live it may be illegal to give the cops
a false lead
3.if your kid finds it,it will may make them not trust you at all
note:do not let your kid carry a pellet pistol or any bb gun that uses pellets,
its a felony,airsoft is very legal to carry,don’t let your kids carry thier gun,of any kind ,to school,even pat them down in the morning,you take my advice,those criminals will get quite a surprise.i recommend you use airsoft because its more legal.hence the word pistol,and keep it concealed
if you don’t trust me because of my age,don’t come crying to me because
your kid could not defend him/her self
thanks,
joe