I was reading a New York Times article this week about a new watch that parents can get for their children that comes equipped with a tracking device and panic button {the child can press the panic button and 5 predetermined phone numbers will be immediately dialed alerting the adults to the child’s location}. The article also highlighted a new smart phone app that can track children’s locations. For a fee, you can track your child from their bedroom all the way across 30 countries.
The article discussed a lot of the pros in regards to using technology to track our children, but only briefly touched on the cons. The pros are obviously that when you need to find your child in an emergency situation, you can. The cons are not quite as simple. The article mentioned that tracking devices could cause anxiety for children who are wearing them, giving them a false sense of endangerment {because odds of stranger abduction is relatively low}. But it only very briefly discussed the ethical dilemma of tracking our children’s every move.
Then I stumbled onto an NPR article that addressed the potential direction this kind of technology could take us. It reviewed a fictitious book, The Circle, set in the not-so-distant future where all people are tracked via technology. Crime is down, but privacy is gone. It raised the ethical question of tracking our children–or people in general. {As a sidenote, the NPR article did bring in an interesting point that using tracking devices for special needs children could actually be extremely helpful to parents.}
It left me thinking: We microchip our pets, we have GPS tracking devices on our phones, are the kids next, do you think everyone will be microchipped in the future? Would you be FOR or AGAINST it?
~Mavis
Joan Blurton says
I think this is valuable technology for vulnerable populations such as elderly with Alzheimer’s, or children with disorders that make them able to become lost or confused. I don’t think it’s necessary or desirable for everybody. As for children, I would view this as another training tool. As the child becomes older, we already loosen the “leash” we have on them. This could simply be another tool in gradually letting them go further on their own, and teaches them accountability, and responsibility, with the safety of the tracking device. And if we’re honest, we already do this with teenagers’ phones.
Bren says
I am against this. It reminds me of the Bibles severest warning. KJV Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Bren says
Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rhonda says
Thank you Bren for the scripture. Many Christians will be against RFDs being implanted in us or our children because of them. There is just something unnatural about having a microchip slipped under our skin. In my opinion it takes away our privacy and violates our Constitutional rights as free citizens.
Sophie says
Against microchipping people, BUT…..
I totally love the watch! I have an eight year old who is home for about 45 minutes before I am everyday. He often forgets to call me when he gets home and I am usually in meetings so cant call him (he just leaves me a message that he is home). This would be great! He also goes and plays in the neighborhood with all the boys and i would love to be able to send a message to his watch telling him to come home. O.M.G. I seriously am giddy. I cant wait until this thing comes out!!!
Jenn says
I think this could be a valuable tool for some. Like you mentioned Mavis, for children who have developmental delay’s and to the elderly as Joan mentioned. However, I am very afraid of what this world is coming to. We are all so reliant on our electronic devices and it worries me. I’m very afraid of what could happen if micro chipping people became a reality. No privacy what so ever. Scary.
Karissa says
I think the thing to remember is that all of the microchipping/GPS tracking happening is voluntary or being utilized by parents of minors. As a parent I think this is brilliant and would be a great way to postpone children having cell phones and alleviate some anxiety about letting your children do things without you.
CathyB says
It seems like that is the big question for our times now, with all the newly emerging technology: Security versus privacy. It is the prevailing issue with all the scandal of our government collecting information from phone calls, computers, other data in order to identify terrorists. Security versus privacy. I think this is only going to become an even bigger issue in all areas of our lives. Both security and privacy are good things; however how much of one are we willing to give up for the other? Personally I would prefer to live with some risks in life and have privacy than to give up all privacy for the mistaken belief that I can live risk free. Life is never risk free. We learn to manage risks. I like what the above poster said about how some of this technology is perfect for those individuals who are at high risk of getting lost, but it seems like it is an excessive trade-off for the general population. I realize that at this point it is voluntary, so each has to decide for themselves.
NJ says
It terrifies me. Openly tracking children like that could be very useful for obvious reasons.
But children are people, too. And children who are tracked like cattle would grow up to find the idea of being “chipped” far less horrific than we who grew up free.
We already have GPS-enabled phones, and gadgets. I recently was chatting with a friend on Facebook and noticed that the friend’s EXACT location (a coffee shop around the corner from her home) was being broadcast. Ew. I am knowledgeable enough to control my personal settings, but that this technology exists and is used by people who don’t know it… that bothers me.
Some have similar GPS technology in our cars. Every car has license plates, which are tied into databases “for our protection.” Where I live, the toll company photographs every car that passes its automated toll stations and sends a bill to the registered owner of the car. Not to mention the automated stop-light cameras.
We have our drivers licenses to track us, and our Social Security cards, and our credit or debit cards.
And of course, wherever you stand on the political spectrum, you’ve got to admit the NSA’s tactics are at the very least sort of creepy.
I guess you could say I am making a slippery slope argument, but the truth is I think we have already gone too far with the tracking of individuals. If my location is constantly known and monitored, that makes me no more than a prisoner in a country where we supposedly value individual liberty above all, or at least we did once.
I would rather raise strong, independent kids who can think for themselves – even if it means I don’t know their exact GPS coordinates every second of every day.
Some of my best childhood memories are of long solitary walks where I created my own adventures, or of hiding from the world in spots nobody else knew about to read or write or daydream. Today I am pretty sure we would call that “child abuse,” or at least neglect, because my parents didn’t know *exactly* where I was every minute. But it wasn’t, and I turned out okay.
Rhonda says
Also, when Facebook adds these changes that violate our privacy, they don’t tell us. We have to find out the hard way, after our privacy has been compromised. Facebook has become so intent on finding out every detail of my life that I would get off of it, except that I have 5 children and 5 grandchildren, sisters, nieces and nephews that I love keeping up with and seeing all the photos that they post that I would not otherwise get to see. If you haven’t lately, please check your privacy settings, and do it on a regular basis!
Jane W says
Totally against it….they already have access to our physical locations via cell phones, cars, etc…there’s also a data base of fingerprints…tell me, how did they get them for ppl who have never been fingerprinted? Kind of scary!!
Gov’t uses the security issue as an excuse but it’s so they can control us…the biggest risk to gov’t that is not for the people is to have someone out there who is against their agenda. Those watches are just another gadget to get your money & make you THINK you’re helping someone stay safe…there is no technology in this world anymore that has not been exploited or adjusted to serve the will of those who want to do harm to the citizenry..
The strongest security we have, the best link to safety is PRAYER. God hears us, every thought or utterance…He sends his angels to guide us and watch over us…so I’ll take my chances with that unseen angel over and above a visible and (not so) transparent government entity.
Privacy is already practically nonexistent…but so far, they can’t read my mind…or if they can, I’ll bet they’re working on a way to silence me!!!
Oh, and my cell phone has the gps disabled…:)
Catherine says
I think it’s completely unnecessary and worry about misuse.
Sarah says
The fact that we are even discussing this as an option severely bothers me. Do people not care about freedom anymore?
Listen, life will NEVER be 100% safe….so stop worrying about it! You could get a microchip and die because a piece of it broke off and entered your blood stream. You never know…
sandi says
I don’t like the tracking but I would buy a watch for everyone in the house to wear so they could push an energency button if they got lost while cross country skiing, had an accident or were kidnapped. This could be used as such a safety device. We never had to worry about our kids in the past as we do today.
Joan Blurton says
In my earlier post, when I said “it” could be a good learning tool for kids, I was referring to the watch. I would not want a chip implanted.
Betty AD says
I like the watch idea….but not the chips. Id heard horror stories of those chips in pets….saying there causing cancer. Some paid to have them put in there pets but later paid more to get them taken out. As for chips in humans…some say theyve gone into the hospital for some type surgery and later found out they had a implant of some type put in them with out there knowledge…..There even putting them in the new makes of vehicles. They can control that vehicle. So its getting way out of hand. …So no chip for me…but really feel in time we wont have a choice.
becky says
As cautious as I would be about making a decision like this, I like that it is available. My baby brother has Down’s Syndrome and when he was little, the minute he got a chance he was off and running and could sometimes get miles away before he was found. And the GPS watches at the time would only work within a certain range or he would figure out how to get them off. I have to say, for peace of mind, I can understand parents of Autistic or developmentally challenged children or wards to want the extra security of a chip.
Suzan says
Earlier this year we looked into a similar device for father who suffers Alzheimer’s and other diseases. He is at home and has let himself out of the house. It is terrifying because no matter how vigilant we are we fail. Everyone is human and needs sleep and to attend to personal needs. In the end though we increased our alarm systems because it seems so wrong to tag him in this fashion. In a few months the decision may change but for now he deserves respect. Besides as Becky says there are ways to circumvent to such devices. Even a twelve foot fence will not keep the determined in. I can understand the pros and the cons and we need to remember that most people would have valid reasons for their point of view.
Bren says
Look up VeriChip aka Positive ID on Wikipedia and it talks about the cancer risk with the implantable healthcare chips. The government is going to tell you these chips are good and the deceived will believe it.
Susan Baker says
Taking the Mark of the beast is the worst thing you can. Never ever ever put it anywhere on your body.