Tracking Childhoods: Inter-generational Perspectives on Parent-Child Relationships and the Ethics of Digital Monitoring

Abstract

This research set out to examine how using digital tracking tools shape the relationship between parents and children. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from four generations, followed by open-ended questions. The findings indicate that the impact of tracking technologies is shaped not only by the tools themselves, but largely by the parental approach and by the quality of the communication surrounding tracking, limits, and boundaries. We conclude that progress does not lie in redefining the mechanisms of surveillance, but in adaptive and context-aware design that promotes trust and communication.