Is it Morally Correct to Track your Loved Ones?

Advancement in technology has brought both boon and bane which we have to encounter through our daily life. We now have smartphones to get a cab sitting at our desk and can book doctor appointments using apps which also let you research and read reviews on physicians.

Is it Morally Correct to Track your Loved Ones?

Advancement in technology has brought both boon and bane which we have to encounter through our daily life. We now have smartphones to get a cab sitting at our desk and can book doctor appointments using apps which also let you research and read reviews on physicians.

Among all of these, the use of GPS has gathered a whole new level of attention. You may have used GPS knowingly or unknowingly when you looked up the route to your destination on Google Maps or used the GPS map to locate your driver while you booked an Uber cab.

GPS has been used for a long time by the military and recently found use in the civilian world. Apart from providing routes and directions, you can now use GPS to track a person in real time. Now, the question though is how good is it an idea when it comes to tracking your loved ones? People do have varying opinions on it, and the answer seems to depend on what you are looking to do with the information. You need to know why you want to track your loved ones; is it for their safety?

GPS: Bringing the Ability to Track Individuals

Many apps are now available that are marketed as safety solutions to keep a watch over your kids or loved ones. Many companies also have launched GPS tracking devices which can be easily hidden from the eye and carried on your body.

Be it apps or GPS tracking devices, the concept is really simple - the app or device relays the real-time location of the individual to a second party on a GPS map which can be accessed from mobiles or desktops.

With this ability you can see where someone is heading, the daily route taken by a person, the places he visits and so on.

Is it a Bane or a Boon?

GPS tracking is just a technology and not necessarily good or bad. The law enforcement and military have long used GPS tracking to keep track of militants or convicts out on parole. There are also some true life stories about GPS actually saving the life of people.

9-year-old Aiden from Utah was able to save himself from a kidnapping attempt thanks to a GPS tracking device he carried. Somehow he managed to get away from his kidnappers and call his parents using the device who arrived with cops to save him.

We have to use GPS tracking the right way and prevent its misuse. Surely it is not ethical to track someone all the time which equates to stalking. Tracking is morally correct when it is done to ensure the safety of your loved one and keep him or her out of risks.

The key is to strike a healthy balance! If you are looking to keep an eye on your kids through tracking apps, it is important for you to let them know from before.