Devices that help parents to track their kids’ live location can damage childhood development, experts warn.

For parents, using smartphone apps or devices like Apple AirTags to see where their child is can be reassuring. However, a group of 74 health professionals, including doctors and psychologists, have signed a letter by campaign group Generation Focus urging grown-ups to stop and think about the effect that it’s having on their kids.

They argue that it prevents children from learning independent, real-life skills, such as problem-solving and knowing what to do in an emergency without a phone. They also say that it’s harmful to kids’ mental health and resilience.

The letter says: “When we track our children, we are telling them that the world is unsafe.” However, Lauren Antonoff, chief executive of tracking app Life360, disagrees. She told The Times: “For many families, [tracking] actually expands what kids can do on their own.”