Tracker Apps Help To Keep Tabs On Loved Ones

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Picture this. Your 14-year-old is off to the school bus stop, and it's not quite light outside yet. You've already left for work, but you wonder, "Did he make it to the bus?"

Local mother Jennifer Madge knows the feeling.

"I think it's important to know where he is all the time," she said.

Or what if your daughter is a high school senior, planning for college next fall? You want to make sure she is safe walking on campus or anywhere else alone. Crystal McCormick, another local mom, knows that feeling.

"She's my only child so, of course, her well-being is something that I've thought about," she said.

Meet the latest trend in keeping tabs on your kids or your loved ones. They are called companion or tracker apps. With the tap of a button on your smartphone and the phone you want to track, these apps can work like putting a GPS in your child's hand. Madge has worried more than once about keeping up with her son.

"On these dark mornings, we'll know that he has made it, and it will be dark in the evenings," she said.

High school senior Madison Ware likes the idea.

"I think it's interesting," she said. "We have the technology that we can text our parents, but it's an interesting, cool way for your parents to see where you are going on a specific time of day."

There are a variety of different apps to choose from. The Companion app, Circle of 6 and LifeLine Response are a few. Each one operates differently, but the idea is the same. You download the app, and so does the person you want to connect with. In the case of the Companion app, one person makes a request for the other to "watch their back" as they travel from one place to another. It could be school, jogging or anywhere. Once the second person agrees, the GPS system goes into motion, tracking their every move until they reach a desired destination.

Sgt. Eric Kroll took a look at some of the apps.

"It's a very good tool, but I would be very cautious to rely on it completely," he said.

Some apps, like Lifeline 360, allow the entire family to be connected, so not only do you know where your kids are, they can keep up with you, too. It also allows them to contact another family member, even out of state, if there's an emergency.

Jennifer Madge's son Geoffry likes the idea the app goes both ways.

"Sometimes, my mom forgets to tell me where she's going," he said. His mother agrees.

"Sometimes, I'm doing things and I should be home, but what if I get stuck in traffic?" she said. "If he gets home and doesn't know where I am, he is a worrier."

The whole idea takes a little getting used to, so if you're going to try them, play around with the different apps to see what may best fit your needs. One offers "one touch" to let the person on the other end know you're feeling nervous or to call police. A feature Ware likes.

"If I feel like someone might attack me, or I'm just in a scary area, I can say I feel nervous on the app and then it sends an alert to my mom," she said.

Local police say sending a 911 alert to someone else could, however, add delay in getting a police response if there is a real emergency.

"Are those friends monitoring the phone?" Kroll questioned. "Are they able to call for you? Are they going to see it now or two hours later?"

Most of the apps we looked at were free to download, but they use data on your cell phone plan. In some cases, your son or daughter has the ability to request you follow them, so it isn't running all the time. McCormick believes it makes sense for older kids.

"Initially, I thought it was a little intrusive, however, [my daughter] has the power to ask me to be her companion," she said.

Most of the families we focused on tried the apps and like the concept, but police say an app shouldn't give you a false sense of security. And remember, if you can track someone's movements, there's always a risk that someone else can, too.

Kroll says there may be an app for you, but look carefully.

"Everyone has to use what's best for them and their families," he said. "You don't want to over rely on technology that may not be reliable."

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