Location tracking privacy concerns: Young Aussies are tracking their ageing parents, but both may be at risk
Publish Date: 2026-07-04 16:00:00
Source Domain: www.nine.com.au
It used to be that parents relied on location tracking apps to keep an eye on their kids; now, adult children are tracking their ageing parents for peace of mind.
But experts warn Australians may be giving up their privacy and personal data in the process.
Turner’s family use location tracking apps to keep an eye on her, just in case. Jane Turner
Jane Turner’s 25-year-old daughter has been monitoring her location since Turner, 64, was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease last year.
It has affected her sense of direction and orientation, leaving her “quite lost” even in familiar locations.
“It came to light one particular night where I’d gone to a networking event, I got a cab home and got out […] probably 100 steps away from my apartment door,” she told nine.com.au.
“But I was completely disorientated, and I walked for about 10 minutes in the complete opposite direction. I wasn’t able to find home.”
Since that incident, Turner’s husband and daughter have used Apple’s ‘Find My’ app to track her.
Turner feels safer knowing they can always find her, but doesn’t want to share her location with anyone else.
“You don’t want it open to the whole world,” she said.
Sydneysider Sarah also uses location tracking to stay connected with her mum, who lives in a rural area of the UK.
“I feel more involved in her life, and she says the same back to me,” Sarah, 38, told nine.com.au.
Sarah (left) lives in Sydney and her mother lives in the UK, so they use location tracking to check in when time zones don’t line up. Sarah
“It allows you to check in without checking in verbally, and it provides peace of mind, especially living halfway around the world.”
She said location tracking has strengthened their relationship, and they communicate more because of it.
More than 60 per cent of nine.com.au readers agree it’s OK to use location services to track friends and family provided they’ve given consent, according to an exclusive…
