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Google releases smart watch for kids

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Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#471

Post by hgomersall »

wonderwonder wrote: post #279
Dylan16807 wrote: post #270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's shaming constant tracking, not anyone that might buy this. And that probably should be shamed.

why? What's the harm with knowing where your minor kids or opted in spouse are? Honest question.

I think the question is: what is the threat model, and how would the information change your behaviour? If it's just peace of mind, then the false positives are super super stressful as I have had direct (not mine) experience of.

My view is tracking might have its place in certain situations, but almost certainly not in a blanket way, and always with an understanding of the threat model.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#472

Post by hi-v-rocknroll »

steve_adams_86 wrote: post #62
wmf wrote: post #3

Smartwatches may be an overlooked answer to the kid phone conundrum. Watches have the communication and location tracking that parents demand without the distraction of phones.

My watch changed my relationship with my phone very positively, so I offered to get my kids watches as a phone alternative. Not that they couldn't have phones at all, but they'd leave them at home when going on, and not carry them in their pockets around the house. They declined because they think watches are lame and nerdy. Only the most unfortunate kids get watches. They still can't carry them around the house, but…

There's a fix to the "nerdiness" issue: Have the kids pick awesome bands or band/frame combinations from AliExpress. (They're about $5-20 rather than $60-200.) There are plenty out there to transform a watch to look nothing like an Apple or Samsung watch, and look nothing like anyone else's watch.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#473

Post by hi-v-rocknroll »

geraldwhen wrote: post #321
wmf wrote: post #3

Smartwatches may be an overlooked answer to the kid phone conundrum. Watches have the communication and location tracking that parents demand without the distraction of phones.

I can’t get reliable signal on the watch on any carrier. And reliable signal is a deal breaker.

Which watch model?

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#475

Post by wraptile »

janice1999 wrote: post #11

Anyone else who would be uncomfortable opting your child into location, behavior and health surveillance by the world's largest advertising company?

> child into location, behavior and health surveillance

I'd argue that children have less stake in privacy than adults. How Google knowing location of my kids could possibly affect them?

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#476

Post by reitanuki »

wincy wrote: post #204
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For better or for worse the ship has definitely sailed on the laissez-faire "be home before sunset" parenting of past generations. It's only "sailed" because (some) parents demand to know where their kid is at all times. While I think it's difficult for any individual parent to, say, forbid social media for too long lest they ostracize their kid, saying "I won't track my kids" is a choice any parent can make. I jus…

This is a really naive take. I tried literally what you’re advocating. And what happened was some busybody lady in my neighborhood kept calling CPS when my daughter would walk to play at a friend’s houses down the block. When I was her age (6) I ranged an entire town on my bike. But this lady just kept calling on us. She’d bring my daughter home whenever she saw her out. It was infuriating. Once we got the Apple Watc…

woah WTF, is this what it's like in the US???

Here in the UK we don't have Japan-level super-younglings walking to school on their own etc, but you certainly wouldn't get any bother walking around at age 6 unless you looked obviously lost.

Hearing your experience is just so mindwarpingly boggling it's unreal..

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#477

Post by blitzar »

bryanrasmussen wrote: post #456
BenFranklin100 wrote: post #404

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good lord. As I recall, a big part of growing up was spending time and doing things my parents didn’t want me to do. The idea of them tracking me is super creepy, as is tracking one’s spouse for that matter.

>As I recall, a big part of growing up was spending time and doing things my parents didn’t want me to do. a big part of parenting is making sure your kid actually is at school, or monitoring more closely a child that has done improper things.

In the 80's/90's if I was somewhere I shouldn't be or doing something that I shouldn't there was a 70% chance that when I got home my mother would know. The neighbourhood network of eyes was more powerful than googles all seeing eyes.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#478

Post by vasco »

elaborate4013 wrote: post #454
donw wrote: post #443

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair: the only reason I want trackers for my kids is so that I can find them if (a) they run off and get lost; or, (b) they get nabbed. The average small child can't say what Dad's phone number is, or even his full name. Young kids have really limited awareness of their surroundings, and can get lost very easily. Add multiple kids into the mix and it can be a real challenge to keep them all together when you're…

> The average small child can't say what Dad's phone number is, or even his full name. Young kids have really limited awareness of their surroundings, and can get lost very easily. Add multiple kids into the mix and it can be a real challenge to keep them all together when you're out. I grew up memorizing my dad's number and was told to go find a trusted adult, stranger danger, etc. There was only one time I needed t…

Your no nonsense suggestions aren't appreciated, we like sending our kids locations to the NSA in real time here.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#479

Post by scotty79 »

elaborate4013 wrote: post #454
donw wrote: post #443

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair: the only reason I want trackers for my kids is so that I can find them if (a) they run off and get lost; or, (b) they get nabbed. The average small child can't say what Dad's phone number is, or even his full name. Young kids have really limited awareness of their surroundings, and can get lost very easily. Add multiple kids into the mix and it can be a real challenge to keep them all together when you're…

> The average small child can't say what Dad's phone number is, or even his full name. Young kids have really limited awareness of their surroundings, and can get lost very easily. Add multiple kids into the mix and it can be a real challenge to keep them all together when you're out. I grew up memorizing my dad's number and was told to go find a trusted adult, stranger danger, etc. There was only one time I needed t…

Aren't phone numbers longer than they used to be?

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#480

Post by vasco »

prpl wrote: post #436
BenFranklin100 wrote: post #404

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good lord. As I recall, a big part of growing up was spending time and doing things my parents didn’t want me to do. The idea of them tracking me is super creepy, as is tracking one’s spouse for that matter.

It’s also possible to be more liberal than your parents were with respect to expecting teenage experimentation but still want to know why your kid/spouse isn’t home within an hour of when you expected them and they aren’t responding to texts. Parents are still adults with lives and have better things to do than sit around watching a dot on a map. “huh, I guess they went to get some boba, we’ll just go get dinner with…

If the premise is that they have a phone, why not just ask them where they are when you need to know?
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