Be your own Big Brother: With the help of Apple, Facebook ... oh, HANG ON

(Don't fret, there are other options to keep tabs on kids)

Track and trace

Motorola's Alert app is available on the budget E and G models, and has an emergency alert as well as location notifications

Of course, it's worth bearing in mind that tracking can have unexpected consequences too. As we reported recently, a Canadian law firm is intending to use data from a Fitbit as part of a case for damages. It could set a precedent that goes far wider than just fitness trackers.

Use a GPS tracker when you're cycling, for example, and that could prove to be a crucial alibi. Equally – especially in these paranoid times – a readily available source of detailed location information could land you in trouble. How willing would you be to hand over your detailed logs to a policeman who reassures you that if you're innocent, there's nothing to worry about?

Even leaving those worries aside, do you think it's worth tracking the kids, or keeping tabs on Grandma? Does it stop you worrying? Does trying to track a teen just add even more angst to an already fraught time of life? ®