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Parents are using AirTags to track kids too young for phones. But these devices aren't the most accurate trackers.
Ten years ago, I wrote a NewsWire on parents using surveillance technologies to track their children's every move. And I predicted that this market would explode as more Xer parents got serious about raising their Homelander toddlers. (See "Big Mother Is Watching You.”) It turns out I was right.
Parents are using Apple (AAPL) AirTags to track their small children. The popular $29 tracker is a small disc that emits a Bluetooth signal detectable by nearby iPhones and iPads. The user is then given an approximate location of the AirTag. Parents are slipping these devices into their kids’ backpacks. And some companies even sell special wristbands that allow the child to wear the tracker.
Of course, Apple says these devices aren't meant for kids. And there is a good reason why. These trackers only give approximate locations. What’s more, if there isn’t at least one Apple device within 33 feet of the AirTag, it’s not likely to work at all. Smartphones and smartwatches connected to cell service can provide more precise and consistent monitoring. But those devices are significantly more expensive.
Nevertheless, this trend in surveillance shows no signs of slowing down. Here’s a telling quote from a parent interviewed by the WP: “I am 100 percent going to be keeping tabs on [my daughter] until I can’t. There’s too many stories out there.”
Did You Know?
LinkedIn Makes a Comeback. LinkedIn had a reputation for being a professional yet dull social media platform. But that image started to change during the pandemic. Users began posting more personal messages like pet photos and wedding announcements to their networks. At the same time, LinkedIn changed its algorithm. The platform now prioritizes posts from your personal connections. It also shows more posts from people who share professional advice. These changes have been well received. At the start of the pandemic, user engagement doubled. And between 2021 and 2023, engagement rose by a further +40%. Insider Intelligence projects that by 2027, the number of unique monthly visitors to LinkedIn will increase by +8M to 84.1M. During that same period, Facebook is projected to record a decline of -600K to 177.3M.