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Verizon to Launch Mobile 'Chaperone' Service

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the spy-movies-will-need-new-gimmicks dept.

Billosaur writes "CNET is reporting that Verizon will soon be offering a service (branded "Chaperone") which will allow parents to keep track of their cell phone-carrying children. Following on the heels of a similar service started by Sprint in April, the system will allow parents 'to set up geographic limits and receive text alerts if their children, who also carry phones, go too far from home. The service also lets parents check where their offspring are via a map on their cell phone or computer.' Disney will purportedly be offering a similar service when it begins selling mobile phones sometime this summer. It's 10pm -- do you know where you child's cell phone is?"

6 of 427 comments (clear)

  1. What did parents do before this? by ajiva · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Seriously when I was growing up my parents never had any of this technology and yet they managed to keep me out of trouble. While I agree the world is a different place, and there are lots of new and different problems, it all boils down to the parents taking an active role in the child's life. Things like asking the kids how their day went, what sorts of issues they had, things that let the kid know that home is a safe place. Or how about
    making time to have dinner together, or helping with the homework or the millions of other things families should do together.

    Is this hard to do, hell yes. But nobody ever said life was easy, and in the long run spending time with your kids will be worth it. Remember it works both ways, when the parents are old and need someone to talk to, the children will be there.

    1. Re:What did parents do before this? by TheDarkener · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Dual income households have become mandatory in most areas unless you're part of the relatively privileged few who can afford to have a spouse stay home and still maintain a roof over their heads and food on the table.

      "Priviliged few"? Like people are 'chosen' to be priviliged.

      Seriously. I don't have kids, so you won't listen to a word I say most likely, but I'll say it anyway:

      YOU make your OWN life. Nobody TELLS you who to be or how to live. And if they do, you need to change that. You're in control of your life - not your wife/husband, not your kids. Get some guts and start making your own decisions. If you're living somewhere where it's necessary to fix your house and pay for your 12MPG SUV, then maybe you should relocate and find alternate means to travel.

      Nobody is locking you into your lifestyle, you're just acting a scapegoat because it's easier to accept than to change.

      --
      It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
    2. Re:What did parents do before this? by onkelonkel · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Our new neighbors moved into our white collar suburb, from a not too distant blue collar suburb. They went from owning, clear title, a big 4 bedroom house, to buying a much smaller house with a $250k mortgage. The wife couldn't stay home with the kids any more, and had to go back to work full time, the kids into afterschool day care and the husband switched shifts so he could be home when the kids got up.

      I couldn't figure out why they would go through all this just to get into a neighborhood they could barely afford. Then the mom explained that at the school they moved away from, parent volunteers had to clean the kids playground every morning and pick up all the discarded needles and used condoms before the kids came out to play.

      Sometimes it isn't about the SUV and the plasma TV.

      --
      None of them can see the clouds; The polished wings don't care.
  2. The thing is by alnjmshntr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    this is not really for tracking your children, that's just the cover story. More likely be used for tracking spouses - without their knowledge, of course.

    --
    If I had created the world I wouldn't have messed about with butterflies and daffodils. I would have started with lasers
  3. Re:Steps for Workaround by gfxguy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Have your calls forwarded to your friend's phone. Unless he's being tracked, too... deperate kids might just chip in and buy some pay-as-you-go phone.

    --
    Stupid sexy Flanders.
  4. Re:Steps for Workaround by fooDfighter · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Nothing, but if you can't trust your kids even a little I think underage drinking will be the least of your worries.

    Moreover I don't expect that a generation raised using surveillance will be particularly upset by increased government surveillance in their adult years. Or maybe that's the whole point.