GPS tracking has always been controversial when it comes to parenting teens -- how can you build trust and spy on your kid's whereabouts at the same time? This Reuters article on research published in the Journal of Adolescent Health proposes GPS tracking not for parental spying but for positive interventions, i.e. "the possibility of using teenagers' cell phone to intervene right at the time when they are most likely to take a health risk, like drinking or smoking."
Um...the intentions are good here, but it sounds very big brothery to me precisely because of the GPS component. They don't talk about whether teens would choose to receive these kinds of messages and to be "tracked" or not, but given the choice, I'm thinking "not."
We're all trying to figure out ways to use the technology teens have grown up with in positive ways that impact on public health. I'm just not convinced that GPS tracking is one of those technologies -- at least used in this way. I head a story on NPR yesterday about how Massachusetts is using it with violent offenders to enforce restraining orders (and protect battered women). Now that makes sense to me. What do you think?
Posted by anastasia
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Parents should have face-to-face discussions with their teenagers about drinking and smoking.
I don't think that a nag via text-messaging is going to help.
Posted by: Eric Jaffa | April 3, 2008 10:46 AM
I think everyone should be implanted with a micro chip at birth (randomly placed) that IDs the person by a serial number. All crime enforcement agencies would have computers that have access to the massive amount of data.
If a crime is commited, the CSI would determine the time of death, go back to the computer, type in that person's serial number and track back to that time period. All other serial numbers around that serial number are tracked down and questioned. No names are mentioned unless it is the victim or suspect. No privacy is really violated.
Another good use would be missing children, it could use GPS to track that serial number and those that are around it.
Just the existence of the technology would be enough to scare potential criminals into not doing things and those that did commit crimes would be found immediately. How's that for Big Brother!?
I love the idea and support it, as I would imagine, any crime victim or parent or a missing child.
Posted by: Chris | April 3, 2008 12:24 PM
"... to intervene right at the time when they are most likely to take a health risk, like drinking or smoking."
-Do they really think that might make their children stop drinking or smoking? They will do it anyway...
I think building a trusty relationship would be much better.
Posted by: Christoph | April 3, 2008 1:12 PM
We at LocoMatrix are thinking in very different ways about GPS. By using mobile phones connected via Bluetooth to GPS modules (or GPS enabled phones), we are creating a series of computer games that can be played outdoors.
We are finding that this is not only tempting young people from their bedroom computers but also encouraging parents and children to play together, increasing social interaction.
Posted by: Richard Vahrman | April 8, 2008 1:33 AM