Trackers on phones - weird or not?

[Judijudi]

Someone I know their entire family uses a location tracker on their phones for everyone in the immediate family, husband, son, son’s girlfriend, sister, nieces, nephews, parents. They all have it. I don’t know how often the others use it but frequently this person will say, oh I see sister has come home early from her holiday, or son’s girlfriend- oh she must’ve got out of bed to go to the hairdressers, you get the jist.
I find this really really weird and a total invasion of privacy. It actually gives me the creeps! I can see how it would be handy if someone unexpectedly goes out of touch and their is an actual reason to want to know where they are like they’ve gone hillwalking and not returned when expected or if it is someone vulnerable etc.
What do you all think?
YABU this is perfectly normal behaviour to track the movements of your entire family
or
YANBU it is TOTALLY weird and an invasion of privacy verging on stalking behaviour

@Somanycats that is just weird that you track your staff. It's really intrusive.

I agree with @CurlewKate that it's not right to track children & teenagers. I don't see how it makes them safer. It seems to be making everyone paranoid.

Normalisation of tracking is disastrous for those in abusive relationships and can tip otherwise healthy relationships into a bad place. This also concerns me. People seem to accept being tracked. It just gives a controlling partner or parent free reign to watch someone's movements.

The worst app I read about on here was one where parents listen into conversations remotely. Honestly it's worse than the Stasi 🤷🏻‍♀️

I wouldnt have one for my partner but I dunno, I do like the idea of having one for my kids when their teenagers so I know where they are if they if somthing happened to them

The situation you describe is somewhat bizarre OP. And I do use trackers for my family! My kids have them so I can check they have got home from school ok while I'm working. My DH chooses not to be included - that's his choice and I totally respect it (although it's bloody annoying when HE wants to know where the kids are and I have to use the app to report to him). If we are traveling to my parents (2 hour drive but can be much longer) I might share my location on WhatsApp for 12 hours so they can see when I'm likely to arrive. I can't think of a situation where I would want to know where more extended family members are all the time! Plain weird

Just wanted to add that it does work both ways for me and the kids. I work at different sites and can't take private calls easily, so kids don't call me unless it's an emergency. Because of this they like the ability to check where I am and see when I'm leaving/where I am on my way home.

@Birdie8989

Exactly the same set up in my family with one family member choosing to opt out.

Except it is the DC getting really annoyed (embarrassed in front of friends etc) when they are then phoned or texted asking where they are, what time will they be back, have they safely arrived etc. Or even worse when they are given a hard time for forgetting to text that they have safety arrived!

Comments have included "if you want to know where I am / safely arrived then get the app- if you don't want the app then stop embarrassing me by calling to find out!!"

I don't think its weird to have the tracker installed (consensually), but do find it weird to check it/have notifications like its an instagram feed. That person is probably very bored or lonely.
Both me and DH have trackers installed as we do a lot of outside activities and do them separately and solo - he is cycling and paddling a lot, and I am walking/running.