[Today’s teenagers inhabit a world where every grade, every location, every choice, and every angle of their face can be instantly known, recorded, and shared by parents, peers, and the public.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/depth-and-dopamine/202511/let-them-grow-why-stopping-the-tracking-might-help-your-kid)
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2026 — A group of health experts have said in a letter that they are “deeply concerned about the growing trend”, which they believe is harming children’s mental health, self-reliance and resilience.
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They said: “We urge all parents to pause on tracking, and to reconsider whether the surveillance childhood we are sleepwalking into is really benefiting our children.”
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https://www.generationfocus.org/sign-our-letter-on-tracking/
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“[We turn to location tracking apps like Life360 and Find My to give us peace of mind when instead these apps seem to only fuel more fear. Every minor detour, static placement, speed notification or low battery alert sends our minds into overdrive.](https://www.christianparenting.org/articles/life360/)”
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“[I’ve stopped tracking my kids with an AirTag – it wasn’t healthy for me or my children](https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/health-and-families/features/tracking-child-helicopter-parenting-airtag-b2894893.html)”
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[Jonathan Haidt's book *The Anxious Generation* linked the mental health crisis in kids and teens to social media use, and to kids growing up with less independence and fewer real-life social connections](https://people.com/anxious-generation-jonathan-haidt-new-fears-exclusive-11765472)


Being watched promises to make kids safer, but instead inhibits individuality and makes them more anxious.