France debates parents attaching tracking devices to children's school bags

Many French parents attach GPS to their children's backpacks for safety, but the practice is controversial.

Many French parents attach GPS tracking devices to their children's school bags - Illustration: REUTERS

More and more French parents are choosing to put GPS tracking devices in their children’s school bags to track their journeys to and from school, in a bid to ensure their safety. However, this measure is causing fierce debate between families, schools and privacy protection agencies, as the line between protection and surveillance becomes increasingly blurred.

A recent incident in Fayence, Var, southeastern France, is a case in point. A father attached an Apple AirTag tracking device to his 6-year-old son’s school bag during a school trip after a family scare. When the signal was detected, the school confiscated the device and banned the use of similar devices.

The father filed a lawsuit in the Toulon administrative court, arguing that the ban violated the child's rights. The court ruled in favor of the parents, stating that a complete ban on GPS devices was "a serious and unlawful violation of the best interests of the child," and that GPS devices did not fall under the category of "communication devices" banned under the 2018 law.

However, the French education sector is concerned that the ruling could pave the way for mass tracking of students, violating privacy protection principles.

The National Commission for Information Technology and Liberties (CNIL) has warned that attaching GPS devices to children could make them "accustomed to constant surveillance" and undermine their sense of privacy. CNIL recommends that they should only be used when absolutely necessary, and that the purpose of the tracking be clearly explained to the child.

Sociologists and psychologists say the trend reflects increased parental anxiety and need for control in modern society, while educators stress that "children's safety cannot be based on full-time supervision, but must be based on education in independence and responsibility".

Currently, French law does not prohibit the use of tracking devices for children, but CNIL and the Ministry of Education both call for a balance between protection and respect for privacy, especially in the school environment - where students need to be safe both physically and in terms of personal dignity.

VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/phap-tranh-cai-chuyen-cha-me-gan-thiet-bi-dinh-vi-vao-cap-di-hoc-cua-con-20251014132539469.htm