4 years ago
By First Coast News Staff
WASHINGTON, DC -- Have you ever wondered where your teenagers are?
The technology to do that is here and at least one Florida company is doing it through cell phones. "Teen Arrive Alive" uses global positioning technology and cell phones to track teens. Parents who are concerned about the safety or whereabouts of their teenagers, can arm their children with a specially equipped Nextel phone. It can follow the movements of your teen.
"It used to be big brother watching, now it's big mother watching," says Betsy Henry , a preschool teacher and mom with teenage boys. "I think it's important for a parent to be involved in their child's life and I would look at it probably all the time, but I maybe wouldn't bring it up that I'd been looking."
Jane Carlson, another mother of a teenager, said she was intrigued by the concept, and would consider using it as an additional safety tool. At the same time, Carlson had concerns about potential abuse of the technology.
"I would use it as a parent, I certainly wouldn't be giving it to my husband or vice versa," said Carlson.
But "Teen Arrive Alive," a Florida-based company that's marketing the phones, touts a number of potential safety benefits.
In addition to equipping parents with the ability to monitor teens who might be inclined toward behavior not considered appropriate, parents can also track children who might wind up in legitimate trouble.
"Suppose they've been abducted, or suffered a mechanical breakdown. The phones might enable parents or police to track down the individuals more quickly than without the technology," says the makers.
First Coast News Staff