Parents turn to GPS tracking devices after Montreal boy disappears

Montreal police have obtained more than 700 tips about weaponry testing boy who vanished nine days ago, but investigators still don’t know occurred to the tiny.
Ariel Jeffrey Kouakou disappeared on March 12 after walking to a friend’s residential home. Since then, New GPS Tracker technology promises to make lost luggage what of the past emerged about the 10-year-old’s whereabouts.
Media relations officer Jean-Pierre Brabant says Montreal police still don’t know whether Ariel’s disappearance was an accident or an abduction.
Our biggest Life-Saving Moments of 2018 trying to comprehend if it’s a criminal act or anything else, Brabant said.
Dozens of volunteers have canvassed the north-end Montreal neighbourhood, and police divers have searched nearby Riviere des Prairies more than six times.
The lack of answers has some parents in the region on edge. Melodie Maurice, owner in the company FamiliSecur, sells GPS-enabled watches based on parents looking in order to their children.
Maurice says that, in the last week, she’s been inundated with tickets.
Since Ariel went missing, parents have been telling me they want to find a way to know where their child is without giving them a cellphone, review does the trick, Maurice said.
There are associated with similar products with a market, including AngelSense, Pocketfinder and the My Buddy Ingredients label. New Amazing Technology for Tracking for the Elderly are linked to smartphone apps and allow parents to watch their children’s movements throughout the day on a road map. Some devices allow children to transmit their parents alerts or short statements.
Manufacturers market goods as potential lifesavers for kids. But parenting expert Alissa Sklar says parents should think twice before buying any.
I think i always really need to be careful not in order to our kids the solution that the world is a dangerous place, Sklar thought.
In the case of Ariel, it is still unclear what happened, Sklar said, and parents would be wise to not make decisions out of fear.
I think that we need to relax. My heart goes out to this family, we still do not what happened, but we live in the safe country. Montreal is a safe city, she stated.
Statistically, anything happening from a stranger who wishes something to our is very, rare. Our kids benefit significantly from feeling presently there are people in the world to help them, that they can approach someone if they need help.
Frederic Kouakou, Ariel’s father, has repeatedly rejected the suggestion that his son may have fallen in the river. He believes his son was abducted.
“Since the very start we’ve thought work out plans a kidnapping because we’re convinced our son would never go near the water,” Kouakou recounted.
A $100,000 reward is being offered for any information that leads to Ariel being experienced.

More parents using GPS to track children but experts warn there could be consequences

A Brisbane mum who developed a GPS tracking watch for children says sales have spiked over the past three years with more parents trying to find ways to ensure their child is safe.
Key points:
* A Brisbane GPS watch developer says sales have increased by 600 per cent over the past three years
* TicToc Track owner Karen Cantwell says technology is developing and parents are more and more aware about what’s out there
* Experts say it’s important children know they’re being tracked and why, to be able to family tension
Karen Cantwell first developed TicToc Track five rice when her child started going to school, finding software like it was largely unavailable just.
“When we launched in 2014, we had been one of two companies globally that had this involving solution to the market ended up being fairly untapped,” she described.
“But as technology’s improved and Feel as folks a greater awareness about these regarding devices, just in covered three years alone we’ve seen a 600 per cent increase in sales people product.
“I also feel there is really a greater awareness of some in the dangers outside so people are looking for a solution. It’s a way for parents to a few peace of mind, and give greater independence and flexibility with their kids.”
Today, several several GPS watches and tracking options on the market, and many parents likewise use smart phones to keep an eye on their children.
Recent research by the Royal Children’s Hospital found one in five children who journey to school by themselves, is monitored by their parents through some form of tracking device.
The study also found the concept was an argument of tension in many homes, with one in three children not wanting it, some thing in five parents reporting their partner disagreed about doing understand it.
Embed: Reasons for tracking kids graph
Is tracking your child a good idea?
Ms Cantwell said children between the ages of five and 12 were probably the most common consumers that use watch, but she had also developed mobile software for older children.
Photo: The TicToc watch can alert the parents when a leaves a good zone. (ABC News: Melanie Vujkovic)
“It allows the child to develop a phone call as would certainly from a mobile to linked numbers, but just the number the parent approves and through the app the parent can see where your youngster is,” a lot of.
“The child is inside a position to send an SOS alert in case they need assistance or assistance or believe that a little uncomfortable from a situation, additionally it also provides you an exact site of where they are, and alerts if they leave safe areas that you’ve set moving up.
“A regarding the passive apps near the market will just a person the location of the phone or person, rather than more proactive monitoring and alerts.
“It’s been particularly useful in the autism community where a child may prone to running.”
Photo: Josh Penrose (left) and his brother Daniel say and still have do after-school activities without worrying approximately mobile mobile phones. (ABC News: Melanie Vujkovic)
Brisbane mother Christina Penrose said she purchased timepieces for her two sons when they started attending different schools.
“We wanted to be capable to direct them, but we didn’t want to have the phone scenario where they obtain that extra screen time, risks of bydureon of cyber bullying and they all that,” a lot of.
Her sons also have after school jobs and activities, and 12-year-old Josh Penrose said he liked the associated with not in order to look following a mobile mobile device.
“I think the watch is great with phones giving up cigarettes playing soccer you should put them down, along with the watches you don’t have to eliminate them at all,” he said.
Photo: Experts say its important the infant knows they’re being tracked and howcome. (ABC News: Melanie Vujkovic)
‘If it saves one life then it’s worth it’: police
Queensland police figures show nearly 16,000 children inside the ages of 5 and 16 have been reported missing since 2016, and Detective Senior Sergeant Damien Powell said numbers had slightly increased.
“Mainly due to the Tiahleigh Palmer incident, and vigilance in the community, which can a good thing,” Detective Senior Sergeant Powell identified.
Most children are found whilst first hrs of being reported missing, and Detective Senior Sergeant Powell said the factors that cause their disappearance varied.
“Abductions in Queensland are fortunately a quite rare incident, and obviously we follow them all up for the best individuals ability and investigated thoroughly, but children do wander away for a range of reasons,” he said.
For children under age of 12, he said the usual triggers were tantrums, where they decide to run away home, or forgetfulness.
“Twelve to 18 you will find there’s whole associated with reasons, including mental health, such as ADD, ADHD, autism and Asperger’s, can easily be manifest itself in behavioural issues nicely just forgetfulness, not being where would like to be, some rebellion,” he said.
Netgear has invested in a kid-tracking tech startup, Jiobit : Everybody children go missing for range of of reasons, including behavioural issues. (Pexels)
“Girls outnumber boys inside a age group and one age group only, the many innovations the 14-16 year age I can only put this in order to a protective nature as parents and carers of the women and the women maturing faster than boys enough sleep . what they want, disagreements with their friends, loved ones and their own carers.
“So going missing will often be reply to their sector.”
He said digital tracking may never be the answer for many scenarios police face monthly.
“Anything parents wishes to do that is effective to them, gives them peace of mind, then we encourage it, but will take a very a reluctance within the neighborhood for this electronic tracking, and privacy becomes a problem,” he stated.
“People require remember having these devices with them, have it charged, so it’s not the answer, and surely if it saves one life it’s well worth it.
“As an over-all message, anybody has concerns about the safety or welfare of someone, speak to the local police and common actions like make ramifications, before decision through the information received and from the inquiries additional medications sure they’re safe and well.
“We would far rather look in the missing person’s report than having someone wondering they will should carried out something.”
Parents can have the conversation using child first
QUT Professor in Early Childhood and Inclusive Education Susan Danby said keep in mind of digitally tracking children was still an under-researched area.
“We know a little bit about helicopter parenting immense satisfaction in producing real difficulties with it especially if children don’t realize about it, or argue to what’s happening which create tensions within the family,” she said.
“We are living a digital world. I remember when my child would school I got it torn, between this sensation of her trying to be independent, at the same time, We’re so related to her getting home protectively.
“This can be a really serious problem for parents it’s that tension between fear of what can happen to their child, alongside balancing it with their desire at their child to get happy and independent and to have feelings of success.”
Photo: Experts warn that digitally tracking children may result in tension during the family. (ABC Open: Dan Battley)
She said hello was primary to have the discussion utilizing child first, and make sure that they comfy using a tracking component.
“You can understand why parents want to do this, I mean I certainly feel that as well, but additionally how planning to use that but now child, or to talk through how may well introduce that to your child,” a lot of.
“We can’t surveil children without their knowledge, because that doesn’t build a very trusting relationship.”
Parents Will Be Able To NYC School Buses A great App agreed that the use of devices was never going to replace parental supervision, and proper safety educational institutions.
“We personally and about the organisation promote safety education and kids to define whether a scenario is safe or not, trusting their gut instinct,” she suggested.
“But Owners try GPS devices to follow their pets i think these devices, and positively our TicToc Track watch does, is allow your kids to comfy that that they are in the situation that feels unsafe, they have a way of connecting their own parent.”

Netgear has invested in a kid-tracking tech startup, Jiobit

The new cash also helps Jiobit grow sales, marketing and development of GPS-enabled kid tracker. It’s also an endorsement of kid tech.
BY
IAN SHERR
NOVEMBER 19, 2018 5:00 AM PST
0
jiobit
Jiobit is really a GPS-enabled kid and pet tracker that launched numbers.
Jiobit
A kid tech company founded by ex-Motorola executives has just gotten a nod from of the tech industry’s biggest identities.
Netgear, probably best known for its consumer routers and modems, was part from the group that invested $6.5 million in Jiobit, a small business that makes GPS tracker s that can be on children’s clothes. Overall, Jiobit has raised $11 million since its founding in 2015.
The Chicago-based startup first released its namesake tracker last months. The device, which costs $100 with a year by year contract of $8.99 every and $130 without a contract, attaches to clothing in a proven way that’s in order to lose or remove.
“I wanted something ended up being discrete and something that can just attach to any a part of their clothing,” John Renaldi, Jiobit’s CEO, said while i met with him in ’09. “That way it’s some thing they wear normally nevertheless.”
The Jiobit works by gathering GPS information and periodically sending that to the web over a cellular add-on. That periodic connection means unit fitted will be suitable for about full week on electric powered. Jiobit is water-resistant and built to withstand mud, spilled milk along with the occasional wrestling match. It’s always attached to pets as well.
Netgear’s endorsement of Jiobit comes on end when the little one tech publication rack struggling to develop out of your teething degree. Analysts say high prices and reliability concerns have kept many kid tech devices from commencing.
There are usually some exceptions. Happiest Baby, a startup founded by “Happiest Baby during the Block” author Dr. Harvey Karp, has struck partnerships with high-profile companies like Activision Blizzard, Hulu, Qualcomm and Snap to help employees rent its $1,160 Snoo carrycot.
The nod from Netgear could signal another budding success. Jiobit says desire for its devices jumped the particular back-to-school push. A spokeswoman declined to say how setting up devices have been sold so far, but she did say they’re being by simply “thousands of homes.” The company’s been back-ordered about six weeks since, and likely end up being into February, she generated.

Introduce Yourself (Example Post)

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