Parents worry about their children when they are away from home. Child tracker devices make it easier for parents to watch out for their children, from a distance. It doesn’t matter where they are or what they are doing. There are apps that can be downloaded to smartphones, tablets and laptops that will help parents monitor their children’s movements and give them peace of mind.
Child Tracker Apps
Child tracker apps are easily downloaded to almost any electronic or digital device. Many smartphones, tablets and laptops already have a GPS tracking system installed as part of the manufacturing process. Parents can use these apps to their advantage by setting the phone to continually sync to a backup account. This allows the phone to be tracked at all times, even if the children or teens are unaware.
Additional child tracker apps can be installed that go above and beyond what the factory installed apps do. These apps also track text messages, voicemails and multimedia messages. They not only allow parents to track the child’s location but also every action that is taken using the device. If the apps are installed correctly and the parent knows how to sync them to their own device, the child cannot override them. Most apps are password protected and can only be changed from the parent’s device.
GPS Child Tracker Devices
Individual child GPS tracker devices can be purchased and attached to various items the child carries with them all the time. They can be attached to backpacks, coats or pieces of jewellery if the device is small enough. The device monitors the child’s whereabouts and transmits the signals to a receiver that keeps an ongoing record.
A child tracker watch has a GPS system installed and acts just like a regular watch, the only difference being the tracking device constantly records the location of the watch and whoever is wearing it. A watch or child tracker bracelet is inconspicuous and can be worn at any time. They serve alternate functions so children are, many times, unaware that they are being monitored.
Parents will often employ the use of a GPS child tracker when they are sending a young child on a long journey. It is becoming increasingly common for parents to send their children on national and international flights. Using these tracking devices allows the parents to know where their children are at all times, without having to worry about them being lost or out of touch for any length of time.
Hidden Child Trackers
Hidden child trackers are often used when monitoring teenagers. Children with learning disabilities may be monitored through hidden child trackers to prevent them from being lost or lured away by strangers. Trackers are hidden for several reasons. A few of them include:
- Children are unaware they are being monitored
- Devices are hidden so that others do not know they are there
- Hidden apps on smartphones are concealed so the phone’s movements can be monitored without fear of being tampered with or turned off without the owner’s permission
- Less likely to be removed by children, teens or third parties who are attempting to sell or alter the device
Using a hidden app can be against the law in certain situations. Monitoring other adults’ movements without their knowledge through the use of a hidden GPS tracker is considered a violation of privacy. In most cases, the information received through the use of the tracker is not admissible in court. Apps that recorded telephone conversations or act as voice recorders are also against the law unless there is a warrant attached that allows the recordings and wiretaps to be used.
Safety Comes First
A child’s safety is a parent’s first priority. Child tracking devices can track everything from GPS coordinates to text messages. Sometimes, knowing where the child is doesn’t provide enough information. Being able to track written texts and voicemails allows parents to find exact locations. They may also provide information about who the child is with, where they are going and what route they plan to take to get there. If a child is in danger, this information is vital when time is of the essence. It can literally save a child’s life.
Parents that use GPS trackers for their children do so because they care for the child and want to make sure they are protected at all times. They must be careful, however, as the child grows older. Tech savvy kids are constantly finding ways to get around tracking apps sending false information or turning them off altogether.
Before installing any sort of GPS tracking device, a parent should carefully read the instructions to make sure the device is legal for what they are intending to use it for. Children over the age of 18 are considered adults and the laws governing the use of the tracking and other types of monitoring devices can prohibit their use. If the child or young adult is aware that the device is being used and they give their permission to be monitored, then no laws are broken and any information received through their use can be used for investigative and legal purposes.