Gen Z Embracing Location-Sharing Apps for Safety and Affection
The rising popularity of location tracking apps among young people suggests that Gen Z is increasingly comfortable with their parents being able to see their whereabouts at all times. Safety is seen as the main benefit of sharing location information with others.
A report from The Wall Street Journal reveals that downloads of the location tracking app Life360 have doubled in the past two years. Currently, one in nine US families, or 33 million users, are using the app. Other apps like Google’s Family Link and Apple’s Find My are also being used by Gen Z to share their location with parents and friends during various activities like traveling to school, driving, or even going on dates.
These apps not only provide constant location updates but can also send alerts for events like car crashes. Users have the option to turn location tracking on and off to maintain privacy. However, a survey conducted by The Harris Poll found that 16% of US adults keep the setting activated at all times.
According to a survey by Life360, 54% of respondents believed it necessary or usually appropriate for parents to ask their children to share their location at all times. This embrace of location tracking is believed to be linked to the increasing levels of anxiety among younger generations.
Dr. Michele Borba, an educational psychologist and spokesperson for Life360, states that Gen Z has come to crave the added layer of security that location sharing provides, particularly during uncertain times marked by the pandemic, social media, and the 24-hour news cycle.
The survey also revealed that 94% of Gen Z sees the benefits of location sharing, with more than half considering it synonymous with safety. For women, the certainty that someone else knows their location is especially important, with 72% of Gen Z female respondents believing their physical well-being benefits from location sharing.
Long-distance driving and visiting new or dangerous places were identified as the top two most common reasons for using these apps. One 16-year-old interviewed by The Wall Street Journal stated, “If something happened to me, I think it would be useful for my parents to know my last location.”
Aside from safety, location tracking and sharing have become a way to show affection among younger generations. Michael Sake, a senior lecturer in digital sociology at City, University of London, explained to The New York Times that there is an intimacy intertwined with these acts, representing a verification of friendship.
In conclusion, Gen Z’s acceptance of location-sharing apps like Life360 stems from a desire for safety, as well as a means to express affection and maintain connections with friends and family. The usage of these apps is expected to continue growing as the need for security and connection remains prevalent among younger generations.
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