Geolocating your children: a way to keep them safe or an excess of anxiety?

Tracking children with new technologies is becoming an increasingly popular trend, but does it genuinely enhance their safety? The radio programme "Modem" (Rete Uno - RSI) dedicated an episode to the topic. The guest was Anne-Linda Camerini, Professor and Researcher at the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences of Università della Svizzera italiana (USI).

In Switzerland, an increasing number of primary and secondary school students own smartwatches or electronic devices that allow their parents to track their location. Is this really a measure to enhance the safety of young people, or is it more a reflection of parental anxiety and the desire to control their children?

Using and owning a smartwatch from a young age may pose health risks. However, as Anne-Linda Camerini emphasises, these devices and their use should not be condemned. "Several risks are associated with wearing a smartwatch on your wrist constantly. It can be distracting, as even changing the cover or background can become a source of interruption, and you don't necessarily need to use specific apps for this. For this reason, electronic devices should remain in backpacks and switched off during school hours."

The correct use of smartwatches and similar devices, explained the USI researcher, relies on establishing clear rules: "There should be a clear agreement between parents and children when introducing any electronic device. This agreement requires establishing specific rules, particularly for smartphones. While smartphones are valuable tools for important communications—such as contacting parents if a child misses the bus home from school—they should not be used for sending random emoticons or making calls at inappropriate times. By setting these boundaries, children learn to communicate mindfully and responsibly."

The most effective way to introduce young people, especially those who are very young, to technology is not through prohibitions but by establishing rules for responsible use. Anne-Linda Camerini stated, "Regarding smartphones and smartwatches, I believe the rules should be the same. The latter, indeed, has some different functions, but it's still a tool that gives access to the virtual world. When a parent decides to introduce it to their child, they should consider what type of access they want to grant, which applications to allow, and the duration of usage. Additionally, parents need to reflect on whether they want to implement tracking features. This feature is distinct from simply using the device for communication. Personally, I am against the use of tracking as it compromises the trust between parent and child and can lead to a lack of responsibility as children, knowing they can be tracked, may decide not to inform their parents of their movements or changes in their schedule."

Another issue raised by the topic of geolocation is that of privacy, which is undermined by this functionality. "I believe that privacy must also be guaranteed to minors," Camerini argued, "and this also applies in the case of video cameras in children's rooms. We should consider what children learn when they know they are constantly being watched and monitored by these devices. This could lead them to develop a distorted belief that excessive control is justified by love, which could become problematic in adult relationships. Additionally, I believe children have the right to be informed if their devices are being tracked. They should understand that this tracking may not be intended to invade their privacy, but rather to ensure their safety in more dangerous situations, such as when they are in an unfamiliar city or spending a day on the ski slopes."

After all, the idea of absolute control over our children's lives seems utopian: "I hope we never reach a point where we feel the need to completely control our children. For instance, consider a school trip: instead of giving electronic devices directly to the children, we can give them to the adults who are responsible for the group. Requiring the devices to be with the children suggests a lack of trust in the adults' ability to care for them." concluded Anne-Linda Camerini.

The full episode of "Modem" (Rete Uno - RSI), with guest Anne-Linda Camerini, is available at the following link. (Italian only)