Life360 Family Locator is a real time location-sharing app. The app uses GPS location data to report the location of users.
What is the Life360 Family Locator app?
- Life360 Family Locator is a real time location-sharing app
- The app uses GPS location data to report the location of users
- To use the app, everyone installs the app on their device and registers. Then, they will appear as an icon on the map
- Users create geofences around their home, and other frequently visited destinations, to get notified when friends and family come and go from the location
- To gain more features, users can sign up for a premium account
- The app has a built in “panic button” which sends out an emergency message to predetermined emails and phones with the user’s location and is available for free
- Users can message their family through the app
- With Driver Protect users can see if their friends or family are speeding, if they are texting while driving, or if they have been in a car accident
- In the event of a car accident, the app calls the user involved to see if they’re okay and dispatch emergency services if needed
Why should parents care?
- If your family uses the Life360 Family Locator app, be aware that your children can start sharing their location with their friends
- Location tracking apps can drain batteries quickly
- Some users report that the location tracking data is not always updated in real time
- Unlike iPhones, Android devices do not have a built in location tracking app. So, Life360 Family Locator can be helpful for families with different devices
- Location tracking apps show your student’s location, which can potentially put them in dangerous situations with strangers
Life360 Family Locator App in the News
Stop worrying about where your kids are and what they’re doing. Life360 Family Locator shows your family members on a map so you can always keep track of them. –Popular Science
Grab the Life360 Family Locator for keeping tabs on your kids even when you’re not around. With live updates that sync with their smartphones, you’ll always know where they are, even if they ‘forget’ to text you when they arrive. –USA Today
What can parents do?
- When setting up location sharing apps, restrict who your student can share their location with so that their data isn’t public and strangers can’t access their location. Discuss why sharing their location with others can be dangerous
- Before giving them access to a device, create a plan with your children for how often (and when) they should check in with you when they’re out of the house
- Android devices do not have a built-in option for tracking phones. However, families with iPhones can use a built-in location tracking app called “Find My iPhone” with family sharing to see where their children are in real time
- Consider joining Parent University to get access to the leading “at home” digital safety curriculum for parents and students
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