Need to spy on your children? This new GPS watch should be perfect for you

I’m not sure how I feel about the latest smart watch to be hitting that market. I love the idea of wearables and the potential they can offer either in fitness tracking or as a different form of communication or banking. However, this particular smart watch, while it certainly serves a noble purpose, just sounds really creepy and I can see it being used for all the wrong purposes.

Duomo is a Canadian company which has just released a GPS watch for the sole purpose of being able to track your kids. It’s a technology that is already available in Europe, but founder Dany Boucher decided to bring it to the American market. But if you thought that wasn’t creepy enough, the watch can even allow you to listen in on the children’s conversations should you want to. And that’s where this whole idea goes a little creepy for me. The devices have come out on the market and is reportedly selling for anywhere between $80 for the cheapest option and $100 for a waterproof one, which is actually very affordable and should catch the attention of most adults who have trust issues with their little ones.

Dany Boucher is bringing GPS watch tech to Canada. It’s been in Europe for a while now. @Global_Montreal pic.twitter.com/kBAZlgtVNL

— Billy Shields (@billyshields) January 16, 2017

The devices work the same way as any standard GPS watch in being able to track an individual’s location, but also runs on a separate 2G network to communicate back to a server which allows parents to track them online. Parents can also set up a perimeter called a “geofence,” which alerts them via text message when the watch goes outside said area. The watch also has a sensor that detects when it’s being removed, just in case the teen thinks they’re being clever by sneaking out. Lastly it also features a built-in microphone that allows parents to eavesdrop on conversations, or even just ambient noise.

While I can see the value this kind of device can have by ensuring you always know where your children are, the potential to spy on your kids, or really anyone of that matter, is perhaps a little alarming. If parents can’t trust their teenagers, I think they have other things to worry about than fussing over what their teens are up to. I can also see many unsuspecting people getting a watch from a stalker “friend” and not realizing that their personal lives are actually being invaded.

The watch makes calls without a mobile device (like Dick Tracy) but the number of contacts limited. @Global_Montreal pic.twitter.com/f6hBkVjnHD

— Billy Shields (@billyshields) January 16, 2017

If I was a teenager today, I certainly wouldn’t be impressed if my parents made me wear this thing. Even if I wasn’t doing anything bad I would still want to ditch it just to maintain that sense of freedom. Would you consider something like this to keep an eye out on your kids?

Last Updated: January 17, 2017