Sprint unveils mobile child locator service

[ecstatic]

For now, they say it is for parents to keep track of their kids, which is a great thing. But how long before it's used for other purposes?

The service lets parents look at maps on their cellphones or computers to locate their children who also carry mobile phones. Parents can also program the service to automatically send them text messages at specific times each day to confirm that their children have arrived at home or in school.

The so-called Family Locator service aims to bring in revenue from a location technology Sprint and its rivals are required by law to put into cellphones so that safety workers can pinpoint the location of 911 emergency service callers.

Sprint's service shows data such as street addresses to which a child is close and the estimated accuracy of the reading, which could range from a radius of 2 yards around the child to a radius of hundreds of yards.

It also notifies children via text message that their parents have checked up on their location.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060413/tc_nm/telecoms_sprint_location_dc

[darkmaestro019]

1. No no no. Just no.

I'd have broken that thing before my parents could say "DON'T LOSE IT!"


I need to stop writing sci-fi. Or write one in which I magically know the winning lottery numbers. I had state-issued locator bracelets in the last big one I did and our beloved lead-character rebel lost his constantly, accidentally on purpose, had replacements sent to the wrong addresses, and probably put at least one on a stray dog. : ) Though I suppose implanting them would take care of that stuff!

Hang on...

(checks. the X-acto knives, rubbing alcohol, and gauze are right where he left them)

Ok, ready for some future, game on! :evilgrin:

[Matariki]

20. ha! have you read Grant Morrison?

After writing an issue of The Invisibles where the character which is patterned on himself has a lung collapse and a skin virus - his lung collapses for real and he gets a mysterious skin disease.

You'll notice that in subsequent issues the character gets laid a lot.

[Kutjara]

2. Paranoid parents drive me nuts.

Talk about misunderstanding the problem. While parents are losing sleep over the boogiemen lurking outside the school gates or the other end of a broadband connection, the real risks to children are the same as they have always been. For every child that is abducted from the street or lured over the Net, 10,000 are molested, raped, abused or even killed by members of their families, their churches and their schools.

These tagging and monitoring schemes exaggerate a small problem and hide the ugly fact that the most dangerous places for children are precisely those places where they should be safest.

[wtmusic]

7. Are you a parent? nt

[Kutjara]

17. Yes I am.

And I believe that ensuring the safety of my child is my business, and not the concern of some corporation or government department that claims to be "looking after my interests." Disney have cooked up a similar scheme and I'm certainly not going to let that bunch of swine ram their marketing messages down my kid's throat under the guise of 'concern.'

Ensuring a child's safety is about more than reading "your child is at school" on a cellphone screen. All that'll happen is that molesters will take their victims' phones and drop them on the ground before they abduct the child. Then the braindead parent can ping their phone all day, safe in the knowledge that junior is 'safe.' The first time something like this happens, watch the public scream to have the trackers imbedded inside childrens' bodies, so they can't be thrown away. From there, it's a small step to hand over the tracker codes to ADT or some other security firm, and let them watch your child every minute of every day.

Or we can store up a lifetime of psychological problems for children whose only escape from overprotective, neurotic parents is school. Now, the kid can get a text message every 30 seconds letting him/her know that Mommy or Daddy are checking up on their little hothouse flower.

Of course, the real reason for all this corporate concern is clear: children who are used to being monitored every waking minute by their parents will become adults who are used to being monitored every waking minute by the State.

In the same way that our modern obsession with safety is turning our children into virtual prisoners in their own homes, condemning them to a lifetime of obesity and diabetes, the use of tracking technology during the few hours a day when they are allowed out of 'Stalag Home' will complete their mental and physical incarceration. We will quickly evolve into a prison society.

Actually, I think a lot of kids will suddenly start 'losing' their phones with monotonous regularity. This is perhaps another reason why Sprint likes this idea: it will boost phone sales.

[cynatnite]

18. To me, this all boils down to trust

While safety is fine, I do trust my kids and I believe I've taught them well enough to be smart. Also, this is a babysitting tool, too.

When I first heard about it I didn't quite know what to think, but imagining my teenage daughter with it...nope. Besides, she has a cell phone and if I want to know what she is doing, I can just call her.

If I want a leash for my kid, I'll just head to pet smart and buy one :sarcasm:

[KittyWampus]

19. European Children Don't Have Cellphones. They're Illegal For Minors

because of the health risk.

[Kutjara]

21. Yes they do.

Throughout Europe, the streetcorners are full of kids talking on their phone.

I've spent much of the past 15 years living in Europe and, believe me, kids there use cellphones. A lot.

[Karenina]

22. WHERE on this earth

do you get your information??? Have you ever BEEN TO EUROPE?

[Kutjara]

24. As I said in my previous post...

...I have lived in Europe for the past 15 years. Mostly in the UK, but also in Germany, Finland and Spain.

But you don't have to believe me. Read it for yourself:

http://www.pcanswer.com/articles/sjm_mobilechat.htm

And this, from Wikipedia:

"In most of Europe, wealthier parts of Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Australia, Canada, and the United States, mobile phones are now widely used, with the majority of the adult, teenage, and even child population owning one."

According to Digital Media Europe, 5.5 million UK schoolchildren own cellphones (www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=5370)

Do I need to go on? If you want more info, simply type 'Children', 'mobile phone' and 'Europe' into Google and you can look at the thousands of articles discussing the phenomenon.

So I get my information from direct experience and from extensive media coverage of the phenomenon. Also, since I work in the wireless industry, I have access to marketing studies which point to the European youth market as an important demographic for future cellphone industry growth.

I'd be interested where you got your "facts."

[Karenina]

25. Kutjara, Sweetiekins...

ALWAYS check the tree. I was responding to Cryingshame's post, as her ridiculous assertion took me aback. The silver lining here is the misunderstanding propelled you to post more FACTS on the thread! THANKS! :bounce::bounce::bounce:

P.S. I also live on this side of the Bigpond. ;-)

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

23. I agree with you Kutjara 100%

(POST #17)

[OffWithTheirHeads]

3. Oh man do I have a sick mind

The first thought that crossed my mind when I read your headline was...

I bet Michael Jackson buys one.

[MadHound]

4. Soon it will be all of us

If it isn't already. Each and every single new cell phone, since '00, has been mandated by law to have a GPS chip built in. Now here in Missouri, St. Louis, Columbia, and KC, a company is testing a "traffic monitorying" system based on tracking peoples' cell phones in real time, including how fast they're moving.

So I would suggest that all of you folks with a cell phone simply now consider them an eletronic tag, that can and will track your everymovement. Welcome to the brave new world.

[Gin]

5. does it record locations if its turned off?

g

[MadHound]

6. I don't know

It is possible that much like a computer, when you turn your phone "off", all you are shutting down is the display, but the GPS circuit remains active. I give weight to this theory because I remember that the "reason" that GPS chips were mandated for cells in the first place was to enable the finding of stranded, wrecked motorists, and others who had an accident and was off the beaten path. Therefore, if that indeed was the case, I would assume that they would keep the GPS circuit live, for otherwise what good is it if the phone is off:shrug:

In order to be completely anonymous, you will either have to leave your cell at home, or take the battery out of it.

[wtmusic]

8. All tracking measures start with ostensibly good intent

Who wouldn't want to help a stranded motorist? A child in need?

These encroachments gain nasty little footholds and it's impossible to go back. Thank you, USA PATRIOT.

[MadHound]

9. You are so correct

What really raises the red flags about this "traffic monitoring" program in Missouri is that not only can they use your cell phone to tell where you are, but also how fast you're going. I'm willing to predict that based on this technology, with ten to fifteen years we'll start seeing people being mailed speeding tickets based on how fast their phone was going.

[ecstatic]

10. omg What a HUGE moneymaker that would be for cities! nt

:scared:

[MelliMel]

11. As a parent,

I would not use this product. Why? Because thanks to such technology, parents can get even lazier and less actively involved in their kids' lives. Yes, I am old fashioned. My husband and I do know where are kids are without kiddie-GPS because we have taught them one simple rule: Mom and Dad DO have a right to know at all times where you are going, with whom, for how long, and for what purpose. And they know they will not be going to wherever it is they want based on what we think of where, with whom, for how long, or why.

And I am going to announce something shocking: My kids do not have cell phones. I know, how horrible of me to deprive them.

[SoCalDem]

13. We had many "pager" fights..cell phones were not around then

but mine demanded pagers.. My stock answer was .. "Drug dealer or heart surgeon ... Which are you"?

After watching a lot of coverage about brains and cell phones, I would err on the safety side and not get kids cell phones.:)

[MelliMel]

14. LOL!

<i>"Drug dealer or heart surgeon ... Which are you"?
</i><P> I like that. I should have tried that instead of the long and probably tortuous speech I gave my kids.

[SoCalDem]

15. I had a zillion of those when my boys were growing up.. They still

talk about their crazy Mom..

My middle one was a dramatic one and would swear/cry/yell/rant & rave.. I would say nothing until he was done, and then say.. "So..I take it you are upset about something.. go to your room and write it down..and then we'll talk".....

and when he said " I hate you".. I would say.. "Well you ARE entitled to your opinion..and you are not at the top of my top ten either"..

I never argued with my boys or yelled at them.. I think that sometimes made them madder because I would not engage them in verbal attacks :)

They grew up mellow, opinionated, and pretty good civil debaters:)

[newyawker99]

16. Hi MelliMel!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[SoCalDem]

12. If it's turned OFF it won't work..

I don't see too many teens who don't already know that.. Might as well lock them in the basement if you are that worried about where they are.. Teens make an artform our of "escaping" parents' prying eyes :)