In an era controlled by technology and social media, there have been some great advances and some not so great. One of the stains on the social media landscape, in my opinion, has been the app Life360.

The original meaning and purpose of the app is fine. Basically, Life360 is a tracking app for parents to know where their children are based on their phones. The app was founded by Chris Hulls and Alex Haro and has received 90 million dollars in funding from companies with names such as Apple and Google. It has won many awards, but I am not sold.

If you have been born in this era, then you have heard a grandparent or parent call this generation one of snowflakes and babies. Well, I have one question: how are we supposed to grow and be independent  if we ARE being babied? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have kids, so I am not pretending to know a parent’s need to keep their children safe, but I don’t think tracking them necessarily keeps them safe.

How does a notification alerting a guardian that a child has a left an area, help?
Sometimes, sneaking out and being able to be a kid is good; it’s fun.
This app has sucked youth independence from America, and this generation’s ability to make choices for themselves will falter.

In the end, I see Life360 exactly how it is: a human tracking device. Watching your kid everywhere he or she goes and how many miles per hour they are driving isn’t healthy for you or the child. The more a parent sees into a child’s personal life, the more untrusting they become of their kid.

Next thing you know, parents, all over the world, will be spending their time not trusting their child rather than connecting with them. I’m not blaming any parent, but I am trying to point out the holes in the system.

Sources:
https://www.life360.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life360
https://techcrunch.com