In this new digital world, location tracking apps are often a source of confusion and tension within families and intimate relationships. For others, there is a peace of mind that comes from always knowing the location of family members. Others view this practice as a violation of their privacy. This deeply rooted public discussion is further emphasized by personal testimonies and horrifying statistics that illustrate changing cultural attitudes toward privacy and safety.
For Christine Milostnik, a mother of three, it meant using geolocation apps to track when her kids were coming home from school. She finally achieved peace of mind when she knew where they were—first when her 18-year-old son went all over Europe. “Having that made a huge difference for me,” she told us, recounting how when her son had stopped moving for a day, she was able to check on him using the app and confirm that he was okay. “So, I would call and report and say, ‘Oh, you didn’t move for 24 hours,’ and then it would roll over and he would say, ‘Yeah, I’m ill.’ And it was great for him that someone gave a damn about him.
Elisabeth Shaw, a sexual and relationship health educator, advocates for location tracking as an effective safety measure. She emphasizes a few situations in which understanding tracking can alleviate worry. You could, for instance, track a friend’s first date for safety, or follow a loved one’s Uber trip home. “Instead of leaving anything to chance — that ‘I’m not sure when the family’s coming home tonight’ — there’s a need to know,” Shaw noted. Though this can be tempting, she cautions that tracking can create an imbalance of power. For some users, a partner tracking them may be perceived as mistrust or a threat to their independence.
Alyssa Carter is uncomfortable with the idea of being tracked by her partner. She argues that it takes a huge toll on personal privacy and autonomy. “I wouldn’t like a partner to track me at all,” Carter stated emphatically. “There is no reason for a partner, as far as I’m concerned, to want to know where you are.” She said she would be worried if her teenage daughter would be just as horrified at the idea.
Out of this research, the eSafety Commissioner found a particularly fascinating tidbit. Almost one in five young adults aged 18 to 24 believe it is acceptable to track their romantic partners. Despite how shocking this statistic is, the truth of how many Australians are tracking other people, or being tracked by others, still isn’t known. According to experienced social commentator and tech thinker Bridget Harris, society has experienced a drastic change to our understanding of privacy. “People are judging the speed at which their partner responds: ‘You didn’t respond for an hour, so that means you don’t love me,’ and that’s the dangerous part,” she noted, emphasizing the way heavy use of technology distorts our outlook on relational success.
The potential consequences of these changing attitudes are dire. Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed a disturbing trend in 2024. Once again, it was a record year—with 40,087 reported victims of sexual assault across Australia—up 10% on the year prior. Interestingly, police have the lowest rate of repeat offenders since 2008-2009. The increase in reported assaults is a good opportunity to explore the potential use of technology to improve personal safety and change the way we perceive risk itself.
Harris cautions that normalizing location tracking could lead to dangerous outcomes. Victims of domestic violence or other abusers could see their valid claims thrown out as simply normal relationship dynamics. “If someone’s trying to articulate the violence of their experience … it might be discounted by someone else,” she explained. This view highlights the importance of deeper contemplation on how the practice of location-tracking is being embedded in our intimate connections.
“Even if someone dresses up their behavior as good intentions or caring and concern, if the other doesn’t experience it that way, then the issue has to be dealt with,” she stated.
As families navigate these technological advances, individuals like Milostnik have begun stepping back from using location tracking apps now that their children are adults. She admits that although tracking gave her peace of mind during middle- and high-school years, that need has changed.
