Imagine a world where children’s shoes come pre-equipped with tracking devices, and smartphones are less about communication and more about surveillance. This is the reality we’re sleepwalking into, and it’s sparking a heated debate among parents, psychologists, and health professionals. But here’s where it gets controversial: while many parents swear by tracking as a safety measure, a growing coalition of experts argues it’s doing more harm than good, fostering anxiety and stifling independence in the younger generation.
The trend is undeniable. Shoe companies like Skechers are now designing trainers with built-in compartments for Apple AirTags, making it easier than ever for parents to monitor their children’s whereabouts. For many, this is a no-brainer—a smartphone or tracking device offers peace of mind in an unpredictable world. But is this peace of mind coming at a cost? A group of 74 health professionals, organized by the campaign group Generation Focus, says yes. In a powerful letter, they urge parents to reconsider the ‘surveillance childhood’ we’re creating, warning that it may be undermining children’s mental health, self-reliance, and resilience.
And this is the part most people miss: Tracking devices, while marketed as safety tools, may actually be sending a dangerous message to children—that the world is inherently unsafe and they can’t be trusted to navigate it on their own. Emma Lawlor, a speech and language therapist from Guernsey, puts it bluntly: ‘It’s an issue of trust. I don’t want to imply that I don’t trust my 11-year-old.’ She believes her daughter, Rosie, needs to develop problem-solving skills and the ability to handle emergencies independently—skills that tracking devices could inadvertently hinder.
Andrew Wilmot, a project manager from Bournemouth, echoes this sentiment. Despite living in an area where recent attacks have heightened safety concerns, he’s firmly against tracking his eight-year-old daughter. ‘A tracking tag won’t protect her from the real risks out there, like drug use or knife crime,’ he says. ‘It just feeds parental paranoia and anxiety, which ultimately harms the child.’
But not everyone agrees. Lauren Antonoff, CEO of the tracking app Life360, argues that tracking can actually enhance children’s independence. ‘When parents know where their kids are, they’re more likely to say ‘yes’ to them staying out later or exploring further,’ she explains. ‘It’s about trust and transparency.’
Here’s the million-dollar question: Are we using tracking to protect our children, or are we using it to manage our own fears? Chris Field, a child psychiatrist from Sheffield, challenges parents to reflect on this. ‘Is it the child’s anxiety we’re addressing, or our own?’ he asks. The lack of concrete evidence linking tracking to harm doesn’t settle the debate—it only deepens it.
Clare Fernyhough, co-founder of Generation Focus, sums it up: ‘We want to keep our children safe, but there’s no proof that tracking achieves this. Instead, we may be transferring our fears onto them, making them more anxious while robbing them of chances to grow into resilient, autonomous individuals.’
So, what do you think? Is tracking a necessary safety measure, or a harmful overreach? Are we protecting our children, or are we holding them back? Let’s open the floor to discussion—because this is one debate where every perspective matters.
