Dr. Pamela Wisniewski, an expert in human-computer interaction and youth online safety, shared her views in Scientific American on the complex role of GPS tracking in parenting teens. Wisniewski emphasized, “It depends on how parents use the information. If it’s a tool for safety and open communication, that’s one thing, but if it’s a tool for punishment and policing, that’s another.”
She suggests that location tracking can support safety but should be balanced with trust-building conversations rather than being used as a means of control. “It’s all about how parents use the information,” Wisniewski shared on Twitter/X, reinforcing that responsible use of tracking apps can promote safety, whereas misuse can harm trust and autonomy. Tracking should ideally be limited to safety concerns and used in alignment with mutual understanding to foster independence and empathy in the parent-teen relationship.
Read more in Scientific American
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