Amber Alert GPS... good or bad?

In some cases, I can see the features of this being a great thing, but somehow... get this awful feeling that parents may decide it's a great way to track and listen to their children.. just because they can.

Maps on your mobile phone

Introducing the new Amber Alert GPS 2G. The world’s smallest, most powerful GPS tracking device. Tracking your child is as easy as placing a call or sending a text. Simply place this device in a pocket, purse, backpack or car, or attach to a wrist, ankle, or belt. Call or text the AAGPS device, and within seconds you’ll receive a detailed map and address of their exact location right on your web-enabled phone. You can also track one or more devices from your computer.

Safe Zone

Define a virtual boundary (safe zone) around your neighborhood, school or any where you choose. Receive an alert when your AAGPS is carried outside of that safe zone. You will continue to receive safe zone alerts by text and email (you choose) every 5 minutes giving you a bread crumb location trail. The safe zone can easily be changed or cancelled in seconds from your cell phone or from our website.
If your child is in a dangerous or threatening situation, or has a medical emergency, they can press and hold the SOS button. The device will then send a “HELP ME” text and email to 5 trusted individuals that you have predetermined. The text and email will contain the street address and map link. A “HELP ME” text and email containing their current or updated location will be sent to all users every 5 minutes until the emergency is resolved. * SOS disable feature is included

Speed Alert

Set a speed limit for your AAGPS device from your cell phone or computer. Receive a notification when your AAGPS surpasses the defined speed. If the device is on an individual, you will know immediately that they are in a car. This feature is great for speeding teenagers!

Temperature Alert

Set the hot and cold temperature thresholds for your AAGPS device easily from your computer. Receive a notification when your AAGPS temperature surpasses or drops below these thresholds. This feature is very critical when children are left in hot cars.

Bread Crumbing

You can have the Amber Alert GPS unit send you messages on a regular time schedule, set by you, to tell you the exact whereabouts of your child from moment to moment. This will save you time of having to call the AAGPS unit every time you want an update (only available with "Unlimited Plan").

Destination Alert

Do you want to be notified when your child arrives at school, soccer practice, or the mall? You can with our latest feature: Destination Alert. Destination Alert allows the parent to define an area on a map, and receive notification by text and/or email when the child arrives. It's easy and it gives you one more tool to keep your child safe!

Voice Monitoring

Voice monitoring provides an additional tool for the safety of your child. If at anytime you would like to know what's going on around your child, you can simply access this feature. Even during use the child never knows that you are listening in. The voice monitoring add-on comes with 30 minutes of "listening in" time. Many parents add on this feature so that they will know what is going on in an emergency. If the child presses the SOS and you want to assess the situation, this is the quickest way!

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All very interesting, but one of the first thing that comes to mind is, none of this is very helpful at all if the child loses/forgets the phone. Of course, those with children know that rarely ever happens...

It's not a phone, it's a separate device. It is also mentioned about tracking teens. (kind of like spying, if you care to plant it without telling your teens)

Each person needs to decide for him/her self.
The device is neither good nor bad.
The use of it depends on the intenion of the individual user.
"Teenagers"?
Hah.
Some teenagers shouldn't be let out of a locked room until they'e 35 ;
some not until they're past being able to reproduce.
Each parent should know their own kids - they'd be the ones to decide.
IF...
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] the little darlings aren't doing what they've been told NOT! to do -
there should be noooo problem. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Okay... ya have to attach that little device to the child or something the child wears. I see that being broken or lost.. just like a cellphone.
As for the older kids... I wouldn't do what I wouldn't want the government or my parents doing to me. When you start spying on people.. it just seems so wrong.

Breezey wrote:Okay... ya have to attach that little device to the child or something the child wears. I see that being broken or lost.. just like a cellphone.
As for the older kids... I wouldn't do what I wouldn't want the government or my parents doing to me. When you start spying on people.. it just seems so wrong.

Well, here,
in the 'Kidnap Capital Of The World'- [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] it takes on a slightly
different "hue" for me.
We have real monsters! here - preying on children.
-EDIT-
FYI - these monsters are out of MEXICO -
they snatch the CHILDREN of other DRUG DEALING "associates"
off the streets! here and hold them for ransom or kill them!
as "payback".
('Machismo' has certainly taken on a different connotation than
when I learned that word.)
I assure you that WHATEVER! method I needed to employ to keep
my kids safe and/or help the cops to FIND them -would not be beneath me.
(Never mind that drug-trafficking[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] is beneath me.) [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
-End of EDIT -

Also I would never have done that with my son -
I never went into his ROOM without knocking, [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
or went through his dresser drawers... stuff like that.
Certainly I never spied on him.
BUT... I did not raise a child who had no respect for me
or anyone else.
THAT would change things in a BIG mother-hurry for me.

I find it "interesting" that these devices are marketed without
any kind of "caveat" - but a Mom who tells her own child to sit
down and be quiet -in an "And I MEAN IT!" tone gets the cops called.

A little less second-guessing about how OTHER people raise their kids -
and a LOT more attention to how each of us is doing with our own -
and a damned-sight more! "that is unacceptable behavior" by the general
adult public and we might find ourselves in a much different situation.

I am all out of patience with MINOR children run wild and no recourse for adults.
I have recourse - I think we all do. TRY ME and see. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
The very first time a child of mine - or one of my child's friends -
THREATENED me... would be the last time.