I VIVIDLY REMEMBER once losing my toddler in IKEA on a busy Sunday afternoon. I’d recently given birth to my second child, and for some reason, thought an outing to possibly one of Ireland’s busiest stores at one of its busiest times with a newborn and toddler in tow was a good idea (Post-partum hormones are such fun.)

One moment, my toddler was walking beside me, the next he was gone. I’ve never felt fear like it in my life. Every worst-case scenario played out in my head. Every movie about child abduction, every terrifying headline, every parent’s worst nightmare.

We called out his name, went back through the snake-like labyrinth layout of IKEA, desperately hoping to find him climbing on a couch or distracted by buttons on a display kitchen. But nothing. That’s when I really started to panic; my heart pounded inside my chest as I mentally sold my soul to the highest bidder to get my son back in eyeshot.

Eventually, after what felt like hours (it was probably a full five or six minutes to be fair), a member of staff said he had been found, and the relief hit me so hard I felt wobbly.

Nine years on, and the thought of it still gives me occasional palpitations, and what parent can’t relate to that feeling? We’ve all, at some point, lost sight of our young children in a supermarket or playground, and for those few moments or longer, the panic and worry that consumes you is almost otherworldly.

Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

So, in a world where technology is evolving at a pace we can hardly keep up with, is it any wonder that so many parents are now tracking their children’s movements as a matter of course? On face value, it seems to make perfect sense. The technology exists, so why wouldn’t parents use it to keep children safe when they are out and about?

In the US, about half of parents regularly monitor their adolescents’ movements via location-tracking apps. Evidence in Ireland is more anecdotal, but chat to any parent of young children or........

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