What about slip a tech device into their backpack so you can secretly trace their every move?

The business of putting children under surveillance is booming and there is now an arsenal of tech devices for parents to keep a virtual eye on their offspring 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But what does a parent's peace of mind cost the children themselves?

Some of these devices are designed to discreetly sit in a child's bag or backpack. Trax24 is one example and features GPS technology that allows a parent to track where their child is at all times. The parent can even receive alerts if their teenage driver exceeds the speed limit when on the road. We've all heard about helicopter parenting - now you can even be a backseat driver from the comfort of your own home.

There is also a range of wearable devices that shadow a child's steps, track their heartbeat, and even deliver emails to their wrist. AT&T have recently launched a snap-around-wrist band called FiLIP. It comes in bright colours (so kids might want to wear it) and uses GPS-tracking to allow parents to set safe zones in which the child is permitted. It alerts the parent when the child enters or leaves a designated area.

LG's wristband identifies the child's location in real time, then sends the information to the parents' Android app. The parent can even communicate directly with their child through the device. If the child does not answer the call within 10 seconds, the call is connected anyway, allowing the parent to listen to whatever the child is doing through the built-in microphone. Of course, LG didn't describe the new device as a surveillance tool but instead as the opportunity to extend the wearable device experience to parents with pre-school and primary school-aged children.

Child-parent surveillance devices are sold with the strap line of helping parents have peace of mind. However, they bear an incredible similarity to the tagging devices used to trace criminals on partial release back into the community. And does knowing where our children are at all times actually equate to keeping them safe?

Other devices available for parents include a variety of spy sticks, software and cameras for mobile devices that download your child's internet histories, emails and text messages - even the deleted ones. They also keep track of online activity, geographical location, and can secretly video and audio record your child's room - doubtless for the wild tea parties little Suzy throws with her teddies.

It is understandable parents want to ensure their child is safe and that they pay attention in class and reach their full potential. For parents who don't want to come across as overprotective, these surveillance devices might seem like the answer. However, our attempts to protect our children might be crippling them instead.

Technology plays a big part in the modern world, and the ways we use it influences our lives, relationships and sense of worth. In the use of these surveillance gadgets, we might be raising children to believe they are not entitled to their own space and privacy; that a parent has every right to watch their every move.

These devices also do not allow a child to move through the world without a direct link of communication to their parent. While we might not let a five-year-old make their own journey to the shops, trips such as these are invaluable for older children as they develop their independence. In using these devices, we are demanding our children be accessible at all times.

The issue of data mining is also pertinent. While these devices are marketed as a private surveillance from parent to child, the information they collect could be invaluable to marketing and sales departments. There is no guarantee the fine print does not include some devious access to your child's life.

Electronically tracking your child might be the newest frontier, but perhaps we should stop and think whether this frontier is one truly worth entering. Just because technology is now capable of watching a child's every move does not mean it the best option for parents. Technology has a way of throwing up parenting challenges and these surveillance devices get right to the heart of the fine line between being responsible for your child and invading their privacy. Trust and mutual respect is important for strong parent-child relationships, regardless of the tech devices that make their way to the market. Using these devices in families instigates a cycle of suspicion and anxiety, stripping children and parents of the opportunity to build a strong bond and mutual respect for each other.

smh.com.au