Teenagers hit out at parents for tracking them on Life360 app

Teenagers have lashed out about a sophisticated tracking app their parents are using to see their every move. Photo / Life360

Teens are speaking out on Reddit about how their parents have become obsessed with a sophisticated tracking app called Life360.

The teenagers have shared screenshots of conversations with their parents as they believe their privacy is being invaded as they are constantly asked where they are and what they are doing.

Another lashed out at their mother after being blackmailed to download the app. Photo / Life360

Life360 is an app that allows parents to track their children through location services to see where they have been throughout the day. The app also lets parents see if their child has been driving irresponsibly or texting and driving.

A 19-year-old shared on Reddit that their parents made them buy Life360.

"They don't let me go out with my friends and now they want to track me even though I am in school," they wrote.

"My parents told me that if I don't download the app, they wouldn't let me use their car [I pay for the lease every month] to drive to school."

"They tell me it's for safety purposes. It may be true but I feel like it's more to control me."

One child asks their parents why they are being tracked. Photo / Twitter

Another college student shared that even after moving to college her mother gets angry if she goes somewhere without telling her.

"I'm moved out to college ... but is it right to have a tracker on your 18+ child, and does anyone else have one on their phones?" she said.

"This is not normal and is a huge invasion of your privacy," one Reddit user replied.

Multiple Reddit users commented on the forum saying that they believed the app was used to control children.

Other teens also said that while they were forced to share their location, parents didn't allow children to see theirs in return.

A spokesperson from Life360 app told Yahoo News Australia that they were educating parents on how to best use the app.

"Life360's family expert partnered with the company in early 2019 and is a registered psychologist and parents expert who helps further Life360's mission of keeping families safe and connected," they said.

"Through this partnership, Life360 has developed resources to assist families around best practices when using the app which are available through our blog.

"Users can also easily control their own privacy thanks to built-in features like the option to opt-on or opt-out of location sharing at the touch of a button."