I was amazed to find that my son, who is in his 20s, and many of his friends track not only their families and significant others, but also share locations with a large circle of friends. Not being a digital native, or even digitally native adjacent, my gut reaction is to see any type of tracking as intrusive, largely unnecessary and honestly, kind of creepy.
But after asking the almost three hundred thousand members of Grown and Flown Parents, I see things a little differently now. Many said their kids routinely shared locations with a large group of friends.
One mom described it as the “digital equivalent of bikes on the drive.” I love the sound of that because it makes what they are doing so much more relatable. In an earlier era the bikes on the driveway was how you knew where your friends were, now it is a shared digital location.
Why kids are using social media to track their friends
1. It’s how they take care of each other and keep each other safe
Using their phones our kids are able to watch out for each other. Many parents told us that their kids worry about their friends. They use tracking to watch their friends walking through campus late at night or if they are out alone.
This is a way for our young adults to take care of each other and make sure their friends arrive home safely. It’s a lovely thought In case of emergency, setting up a trusted circle of friends is actually a really lovely check-in. Everyone needs a group who has your back and this is the way kids do that these days.
2. It’s how they share in each other’s life journey
Location sharing is a way that friends can follow each other when they go on exciting trips. One mom told us that her daughter’s friend is going to Japan for a year and sharing his location gives his friends a way to share the trip with him.
Another mom told us her daughter’s best friend is going on a short trip to China and she wants her friends to be able to see where she is. When you can’t be together at least you can share your experience.
3. It’s how they find each other
Another way social media apps help our kids is completely utilitarian. When teens are meeting each other for dinner or a concert, the phone allows them to see if their friends are on their way or how far away they are from their joint destination.
There are other practical uses for following friends, like checking on teammates if they aren’t at practice, or seeing how far someone is from a restaurant so they know when to put your name in for seating. Or if you are walking toward each other to meet you can use your shared location to ascertain that you are both moving in the correct direction.
4. It’s how they find lost phones
Let’s face it, we are all always losing our phones. How great is it when you have a friend who can see where your phone is? I know that I’ve used this feature way too often. I am forever asking my husband to see if he can locate my phone.
5. It’s how they get help and give help
If your teen is stuck somewhere and needs a ride, it’s helpful to be able to check and see if anyone is close by so they can get a ride. And, in case of an emergency like a flat tire your friends can find you quickly or tell someone offering help where you are located.
6. It’s how they know if they should telephone someone
No one likes to interrupt someone at work and parents tell us that their teen checks Find My Phone before calling them. Parents return the favor by seeing if their teens are in the library before they dial. It saves you having to ask if someone wants to go out, you can check and see if they are home and might want to meet up.
As our parents grow older, we can see the uses in finding them if they are lost or even confused when looking for someplace new. We can see if they have taken a wrong turn as soon as they take it.
Sharing location on social media apps has become completely acceptable and normalized among our teens. And, although my generation did not grow up with this technology, most parents see this behavior as a real positive.
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