Tracking On Phones.

Surely it should be the other way round. As people become elderly and live alone, it might well give their adult children some peace of mind to be able to track their parent, in case they are in need of help.

Wow! That is weird

Not that I know how tracking works really.
Perhaps it started when they were much younger, and it just sort of carried on

FannyCornforth

Not that I know how tracking works really.
Perhaps it started when they were much younger, and it just sort of carried on

Exactly, but one thing tracking young teenagers, quite another when they are adults.

Yes, I can’t understand the benefit of it

That is weird and even weirder that her adult children know about it. That is intrusive and very controlling. My children would go ballistic if I did that.

Due to my ongoing ill health, I offer to switch on tracking on my phone, so that DH knows that I am safe, if I go out on my own.

My DH and I track each other. It is useful to know when either of us will be home. Also we track our DGS who is 12 which is reassuring when we are in charge of him and his brother.

Morning, Kate! 👋

I wonder what the DiL thinks?

Calendargirl

Did your friend say why she and her DH were doing this?

No problem with tracking as long as the other person knows and agrees. DH tracks mine so he can have a cup of tea ready for me, gets cross because I forget to take it when I walk the dog and don't tell him where I'm going but only because I ve got a heart problem. We don't track grown up children though but tbh I don't think they'd mind, they would tease us about it though!

Sounds a bit odd, but maybe there was an incident which triggered it at some time, and they've just let it go on. As regards my own family tracking me, I haven't gone that far, but do have a free App on my Smartphone which can send my location with 3 sq metre accuracy. It's "What3words". I've seen it used with great success on one of those emergency response TV programmes.

What3words is the best tech ever.
My daughter was on her way to a dive last week. The van with all their dive gear broke down.
She was able to give the Exact location for the breakdown truck.

I track my brothers, sister and OH what’s the problem if they don’t want to be tracked they can switch it off . As long as you both know there isn’t a problem.

FannyCornforth

Yes, I can’t understand the benefit of it

I can.

NanKate

My DH and I track each other. It is useful to know when either of us will be home. Also we track our DGS who is 12 which is reassuring when we are in charge of him and his brother.

I think the word "track" is inappropriate.

Can you explain then please DaisyAnne?

My DD and her partner use it. My daughter and I do too. I am looking forward to being easily found should I get to the bewildered stage.

The GS - 12 and 15, both have it on their phones as do their parents.

Don't forget, there was a Gnetter, sitting by the fire in front of cave, on the day the wheel was invented, muttering about these new fangled things and how we have always managed with them I believe it is our job, as we get older, not to become that person.

There is one downside to all forms of "progress" and that is that society is split each time by those who do and those who don't have access to it. Some cave groups could afford to make wheels, some couldn't.

My DS asked to be able to track us some time ago so he could check we had arrived home safely. My DH and I can also track each other although rarely use it. Nothing wrong with it if all parties are in agreement.

Thank you DaisyAnne. As I said, I don’t know anything about tracking, that’s why I asked.

I was thinking of putting on Air tag on my dog, but it’s not advised.

If anyone has any advice on that sort of thing, I’d appreciate it 😊

Is it tracking or a 4 square or similar app?
These apps are very different to an actual tracker.

How do they manage to do it without their sons knowing? Or do they? And if so, do they not mind?

I can see its usefulness in case a phone is lost.
My dd1 is endlessly asking whether anyone’s seen her phone, but that’s invariably in the house, so one of us just rings it. I have been known to use the landline we still have, to find mine.

It is the Find My app Sago you can add people as well as your phone etc.
Yes both parties have to be in agreement.

Sorry Fanny, you posted while I was typing. I can "explain" what I know about how me and mine use it but I don't know, or feel the need to know how it works.

Much like others, my ACs use it to know when someone has left work and is on there way home, or has arrived at a meeting point, etc.

Last Sunday my daughter WhatsApped me to say they would be in the garden all afternoon and did I want to pop over. I replied "yes". My phone then pinged asking me if I would allow my daughter to be alerted when I left home. I agreed.

This served two purposes. She would know roughly when I would arrive and would be aware to listen for a message or call if I got lost. She has recently moved to a new home in a new, but not distant, area. I can get lost in a single street. I didn't and I doubt either of us thought any more about it after that.

That explanation makes it sound more intrusive than it actually is. It really seems to impinge little on everyday life.