Do Parents Have the Right to Track Their Children?

Famous sisters Ashley and Wynonna Judd were in the news again recently, this time in a scuffle over a GPS tracking device found on Ashley’s car. The device was found by a mechanic, and Ashley told reporters that she believes the device was placed there by Wynonna in an effort to track her daughter, who was driving the car at the time. Although it’s unlikely that charges will be filed, police were still called in to investigate. They have so far been unable to positively identify who placed the GPS tracking unit on the car. It’s unclear how the case will end, but the lessons for the rest of America are clear: make sure you know the laws about GPS tracking.

Why Place a GPS Tracking Device on a Car?

There are several reasons for monitoring your car with a GPS tracking device. The most common reason is to protect your vehicle in the event of a theft. Police officers can quickly track down a car using the unit, making the odds of recovery much greater. A second reason some people opt to equip their cars with one of the little devices is to keep an eye on family members or loved ones. If you do it for safety and with the knowledge of the car’s owner, that can be a great thing. If you’re spying on someone else’s vehicle without his or her permission, you may be in trouble.

What the Law Says About GPS Tracking

Tracking a person’s vehicle without his or her knowledge is, in most cases, a violation of privacy. There are several instances in which the law might step in with regard to placing a tracking unit on a car:

• Law enforcement departments—Most states now require a warrant for a police officer to place a tracking device on a car.


• Private citizens tracking other private citizens—In some states, placing a tracking device on another person’s vehicle is considered a Class C misdemeanor and can result in charges being filed.

There is also currently a federal law being discussed that would regulate real-time tracking as well as gathering data from a GPS unit about a person’s past movements. The law discusses:

Cell phone tracking	Cell phone companies would need the permission of a phone’s owner before sharing location information with another party
Surreptitious tracking	For instance, a boyfriend could not track the movements of his girlfriend without her knowledge
Warrantless tracking	Police would be required to obtain a warrant before gathering location data of any kind from a GPS tracking device

What That Means For Private Citizens

Did Wynonna Judd place a tracking device on her sister’s car in order to track the movements of her daughter? That’s for the courts to decide—and for the family to work out among themselves. Most of us won’t make the news if we find ourselves in a similar situation, but as a parent, you may have considered taking similar action to keep an eye on your son or daughter. The laws governing GPS tracking devices mean that you should find out what is and isn’t permissible in your state before you begin tracking your child. For instance, it may be fine to place a tracking device on your child’s car if you co-signed for it or the title is in your name. However, it may not be acceptable to place a tracking device on a vehicle belonging to your child’s friend.

Many parents who decide to track their teens do so for safety reasons. Some also take the further step of discussing their concerns with their driving-age teenagers and bringing them on board with the decision. In these situations, it’s more likely that the teen will feel better about being tracked than if a parent chooses to track without the teen’s knowledge.

Being Wise With GPS Tracking

Placing a GPS tracking device on another person’s car without his or her knowledge can send the wrong message, even if your intentions are good. In the case of the Judds, one poor decision landed the famous sisters in the news. Without an investigation, police had no way of knowing whether the device was placed on the car by a family member or by a crazed stalker fan.

Although most of us will never find ourselves in the news like the Judds, it’s important that the decision to place a GPS tracking device on a vehicle is carefully considered. GPS tracking can provide an extra measure of safety when used to keep an eye on a teen who is out late, an elderly family member, or a person who travels alone often. However, it’s important that citizens consider the laws in their state and abide by the regulations that have been put in place. If they don’t, they could find themselves facing a fine.

Do Parents Have the Right to Track Their Children?