Latest news with #Caswell
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dillon Gabriel's fiancée Zo Caswell stuns with radiant in-flight glam before luxurious Manhattan Beach getaway
Zo Caswell, the fiancée of quarterback Dillon Gabriel, lit up Instagram on Sunday with a radiant airplane selfie that quickly caught the attention of fans. While flying from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles, Caswell showed off a sun-kissed glow and sleek style that sparked a wave of admiration online. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The brunette beauty flaunted soft glam makeup and glowing skin, creating a buzz among her social media followers. Her effortless look set the tone for what became a luxurious California escape. Jet-set radiance: Zo Caswell nails the perfect in-flight glam look The rising influencer shared the post on her Instagram Story mid-flight, dressed in a crisp white tank top that paired perfectly with her natural glow. She accessorized with a delicate gold necklace featuring a small circular pendant—simple, elegant, and travel-ready. Her long, dark brown hair was worn straight and shiny, cascading past her shoulders as sunlight streamed in from the window. With flawless brows, rosy cheeks, and glossy pink lips, Caswell embodied casual glamour at 30,000 feet. 'Plane glam — kiss, smile — OKC to LA,' she wrote in her story, adding a flirty touch to her glowing travel look. The selfie showcased her signature soft glam aesthetic, which has become a favorite among her followers. Caswell's beauty routine appeared effortless yet polished, and her fans were quick to praise the natural lighting that elevated her features. The perfectly timed snap highlighted her skin's radiant finish, prompting admiration across social platforms. Poolside perfection in Manhattan Beach Caswell's travel diary didn't end on the plane. Her next story revealed a luxury poolside video from Manhattan Beach, California, capturing a picturesque slice of West Coast relaxation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The short clip featured a sparkling blue swimming pool lined with sun umbrellas, lounge chairs, and private cabanas. Beyond the pool, a lush golf course stretched into the distance, dotted with tall palm trees and a tranquil pond. The view was pure California serenity—a stark contrast to the midwestern skies she left behind. The Oklahoma native has gradually stepped into the spotlight alongside Dillon Gabriel, who's gearing up for his journey after a standout college football career. With Gabriel's move to the West Coast, Caswell's Instagram presence has increasingly reflected their bi-coastal lifestyle. Whether it's behind the scenes on game days or sharing aesthetic snapshots from her travels, she brings a polished, relatable charm to her growing audience. Her Sunday posts are the latest example of how she blends low-key luxury with approachability. Also read: Caswell's ability to pair minimalist fashion with soft glam beauty has made her one to watch among NFL WAGs. As her partner prepares for the upcoming season, Caswell continues to carve out her own lane in the influencer space. From her chic travel looks to breezy California content, she consistently delivers aspirational yet down-to-earth updates. Her sun-drenched selfie and poolside preview are a strong reminder that Zo Caswell knows how to shine—whether in the skies or by the sea.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Caswell: 'Confidence holds so many women back'
The Suffolk singer-songwriter Caswell was one of the local acts who supported Ed Sheeran on his Divide tour in Chantry Park in 2019 - and has since been developing her own unique has a busy summer schedule - a new single, an album on the way and festival performances starting with First Light in Lowestoft on 21 in her own words, she talks about her creative voice, empowering others - and staying out of her comfort zone. I tend to work with a fusion of genres, but what connects it altogether is my top line (which is what we call the melody and lyrics in the music industry).My voice is quite ethereal, it's quite high, so I feel like it's got a signature sound but I honestly was so nervous for such a long time. I had quite low self-esteem as a young musician and that is something that I've really built; doing open mics around Suffolk and doing all of the small gigs and putting myself out there continuously... so now it's like my stage presence is one of my strongest more I have grown and developed, the more I want to use my creative voice to express some of those things that I feel are most important to me; women's rights and self expression.I work with lots of different community groups but one thing I'm most passionate about is empowering young women and girls to have that confidence to follow their aspirations. 'Integrity' Confidence holds so many women back, so many people back. And if that is something we can help build and give people that self-belief that they deserve to have their voice heard - that is what is really important to me because I can kind of see myself in those young people that lack that confidence. I try to have integrity throughout everything I do, rather than just the public facing side of things and honestly, every day, I have to work against the negative voices in my head, that tell me to be smaller, 'don't come in to do the radio interview, don't go and talk to those young people you've got got nothing to offer them'.I put myself out of my comfort zone all the time because I believe that really matters. And by constantly pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone, I know that I'm going to be growing, rather than staying within my limits.I did a recent fundraiser for Future Female Society, a grass roots women's charity based in Ipswich. I have worked with them as an artist facilitator, so it is really important to me to support local charities like that because you see directly the work that they do. You meet the people they are positively affecting, hearing some of the stories of the changes in people's lives is incredible. Playing First Light feels fantastic because I went there last year and the weather was is set up so well with a real community vibe. I love that it's free and it is accessible for all, and the main stage is very impressive. I'm really privileged to be able to perform with my band and I've never performed in Lowestoft. I guess First Light is giving opportunities to Lowestoft for performers to come through because previously I don't know that I would have had many opportunities to perform there. I'm also playing Rock and Roll Circus in Norwich and McFly are headlining. I was so excited when I got asked because it's like my childhood dreams.I've also got an album coming out later this year, so I have a couple of really big shows around that which I have not announced yet. It's my first ever album and it's got funding from PRS And Help Musicians, so it has been very independently done and I'm really excited to finally share it. The First Light Festival runs 21-22 June on Lowestoft beach. The main event is free and open to all, some evening shows are ticketed. Final Call was released on 13 June. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Latest Teen Trend Has Experts Feeling Very Uneasy, And It Makes Sense Why
Trends change, technology advances, yet teenagers always seem to stay the same. They find new ways to maintain social relevance — often by doing things older generations don't understand. (Don't believe me? Just try to guess what any of their slang terms mean.) One of the latest teen trends is something that might raise a few eyebrows among parents, due to safety and privacy concerns: location tracking. Although teens crave independence from their parents, they are voluntarily sharing their real-time whereabouts with their friends. Popular phone tracking app Life360 recently found that Gen Z is 70% more likely than any other age group to share their location with friends. And 94% of Gen Z surveyed said their lives benefit from location sharing. In May 2025, Snapchat announced that its location-sharing Snap Map has more than 400 million monthly active users, per TechCrunch. This influences other social media platforms, as Instagram is reportedly working on a similar Friend Map to allow users to see their friends' locations. Many adults, including Leigh McInnis, the executive director of Newport Healthcare, may feel wary about this trend; however, McInnis keeps an open mind. 'While my immediate instinct is related to the protection of privacy and boundaries,' she told HuffPost, 'I realize that this impulse is likely more related to my generational identity and discomfort with technology and tracking than the social needs and preferences of today's teens and young adults.' McInnis added, 'I think that it is important to explore the function of a behavior before judging it or intervening in it.' Not sure what to think about it — or how to ensure your teen uses an app like this safely? Keep reading for expert-backed opinions to help you understand why your teens might like sharing their location, as well as tips on setting boundaries and red flags to look for. Location Sharing Isn't Necessarily New 'Many of the teens I work with — including my own daughter — share their location with their friends,' said Dr. Cameron Caswell, adolescent psychologist, host of Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam podcast, and parent of a teen. 'It's a little about safety, but mostly 'because it's just fun to see what each other is doing.'' Back in the olden days (circa 2006), teens would update their Myspace status to let you know what they were up to. Later, they 'checked in' to places on Foursquare and Facebook, shared real-time updates on Snapchat and Instagram stories, and tweeted every detail of their lives. Now, they use Snapchat's Snap Map, Life360, or Apple's location sharing to share with their friends everywhere they are in real time. 'This isn't new,' Caswell said. 'In a world where nearly everything is shared, this doesn't feel invasive to teens — it feels normal. It's just another way they stay looped into each other's lives.' Teens also use apps like this to track their parents, according to Caswell, whose own daughter will text her if she sees her mom is at Ulta and ask for lip gloss. 'For many teens, location sharing is about connection and a sense of safety,' Caswell explained. 'It's their way of saying, 'You're in my circle' and 'I've got your back.'' Understanding The Risks Even though sharing your location with friends might be popular, it doesn't come without consequences. Cheryl Groskopf, an anxiety, trauma, and attachment therapist based in Los Angeles, sees teens sharing their locations as a way 'to manage anxiety, track social dynamics and feel less alone.' 'There's comfort in knowing where your people are, especially in a world where teens constantly feel like they could get left out, replaced, or excluded,' she said. 'But that comfort is fragile — it relies on constant access (which leaves their nervous system hypervigilant to feeling 'left out').' 'If you're checking someone's location because you don't trust what they're telling you — or because they don't trust you — then it's already crossed into a control dynamic,' Groskopf said. In her practice, she's seen teens 'spiral' when they spot their friend at a party they weren't invited to, or 'because someone didn't respond fast enough, but 'was clearly at home.'' She explained, 'It becomes a setup for overthinking, panic, and social surveillance.' 'Teens shouldn't use location sharing when it's being used to avoid rejection, manage someone else's anxiety, or prove loyalty,' she added. McInnis said, 'Teens sharing their location and having their friends track them could harm their mental health.' Constantly seeing (and comparing) your friends' social activities 'can lead to feelings of inadequacy,' she added. Caswell agreed. 'Location sharing can intensify FOMO (fear of missing out) and social exclusion,' she said. 'Seeing a group of friends hanging out without them — even unintentionally — can make them feel lonelier and more left out.' In addition to these emotional risks, there are physical risks, too. Like a teen's location data being available to someone who might wish them harm. 'In the wrong hands, it can make [teens] more vulnerable to stalking, harassment or even predatory behavior, especially if they are in controlling relationships,' Caswell said. There's A Gender Gap Teen girls may be more likely to use location sharing as a way to feel safer. According to the Life360 survey, 70% of Gen Z women believe their physical well-being benefits from location sharing. In the field, our experts also found that females were more likely to do this. Caswell said that 'mostly girls' will openly share their location with friends, 'both for fun and because it makes them feel safer knowing someone always knows where they are.' However, this sense of safety is a double-edged sword, as it can 'increase the risk of stalking, harassment, or even sexual violence,' Caswell said. 'Especially when their location is shared with the wrong person, which is often someone they know and trust.' Groskopf warns of the dangers girls and femme teens may experience when their use of location-sharing is weaponized against them. 'It can easily turn into emotional surveillance disguised as closeness,' she explained. (For example, a friend or partner telling them, 'If you trust me, you'll let me see where you are.') 'I see these kinds of patterns play out in high-control dynamics — friends or partners checking locations not to stay safe, but to manage anxiety, jealousy, or power,' Groskopf said. 'And girls are way more likely to internalize that and comply, even when it feels off. They're more likely to be conditioned to avoid conflict, manage other people's emotions, and keep the peace — even if that means overriding their own boundaries.' That's why teaching your kids how to set boundaries, in real life and online, is important. Setting Boundaries Teaching your teen how to handle location-sharing in a safe way starts with conversations around consent and the ability to say no. When asked if there is a safe way for teens to share their locations, Groskopf said, 'Only if there's real consent, boundaries, and the freedom to opt out without punishment.' In this case, the punishment could be feeling guilt-tripped or rejected by a friend. 'That means not just technically having the option to stop sharing, but knowing you won't be guilted, shut out, or shamed if you do,' Groskopf continued. 'A parent saying, 'I want to know where you are in case of emergency' is one thing. A friend saying, 'Why'd you turn off your location?' with passive-aggressive silence afterward is something else entirely.' She added, 'Safe tracking only works when it's not being weaponized to regulate someone else's fear, jealousy, or insecurity.' How To Talk To Your Teen About Location Sharing Start the conversation with curiosity, not criticism, Caswell said. 'Instead of banning [location sharing], I recommend walking through privacy settings together and having calm conversations about why they're sharing in the first place,' she said. 'Is it for safety? To feel connected to their bestie? Because they feel pressured to? Helping teens understand why they are doing it makes location sharing a lot safer and more intentional.' From there, encourage your teen to only share their location with 'a small, trusted circle of close friends or family,' and check in on this list frequently. 'One mom I worked with told me her daughter was shocked to find an ex-boyfriend still had access to her location,' Caswell said. 'Of course, that explained why he kept 'randomly' showing up wherever she was. Instead of freaking out, the mom used it as an opportunity to talk with her daughter about how to use tech more safely moving forward.' It's always a good idea to talk with your teens about how to stay safe online and set boundaries around privacy with their friends. But keep in mind, this starts at home. 'Let your teen say no to you sometimes,' Caswell suggested. 'Practicing boundaries with someone safe gives them the confidence to do it with someone who isn't,' she added. 'That's how they build real-world safety skills — not just digital ones.' This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gen Z's Latest Obsession Might Come At A Serious Cost To Their Mental Health (And Safety)
Trends change, technology advances, yet teenagers always seem to stay the same. They find new ways to maintain social relevance — often by doing things older generations don't understand. (Don't believe me? Just try to guess what any of their slang terms mean.) One of the latest teen trends is something that might raise a few eyebrows among parents, due to safety and privacy concerns: location tracking. Although teens crave independence from their parents, they are voluntarily sharing their real-time whereabouts with their friends. Popular phone tracking app Life360 recently found that Gen Z is 70% more likely than any other age group to share their location with friends. And 94% of Gen Z surveyed said their lives benefit from location sharing. In May 2025, Snapchat announced that its location-sharing Snap Map has more than 400 million monthly active users, per TechCrunch. This influences other social media platforms, as Instagram is reportedly working on a similar Friend Map to allow users to see their friends' locations. Many adults, including Leigh McInnis, the executive director of Newport Healthcare, may feel wary about this trend; however, McInnis keeps an open mind. 'While my immediate instinct is related to the protection of privacy and boundaries,' she told HuffPost, 'I realize that this impulse is likely more related to my generational identity and discomfort with technology and tracking than the social needs and preferences of today's teens and young adults.' McInnis added, 'I think that it is important to explore the function of a behavior before judging it or intervening in it.' Not sure what to think about it — or how to ensure your teen uses an app like this safely? Keep reading for expert-backed opinions to help you understand why your teens might like sharing their location, as well as tips on setting boundaries and red flags to look for. Location Sharing Isn't Necessarily New 'Many of the teens I work with — including my own daughter — share their location with their friends,' said Dr. Cameron Caswell, adolescent psychologist, host of Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam podcast, and parent of a teen. 'It's a little about safety, but mostly 'because it's just fun to see what each other is doing.'' Back in the olden days (circa 2006), teens would update their Myspace status to let you know what they were up to. Later, they 'checked in' to places on Foursquare and Facebook, shared real-time updates on Snapchat and Instagram stories, and tweeted every detail of their lives. Now, they use Snapchat's Snap Map, Life360, or Apple's location sharing to share with their friends everywhere they are in real time. 'This isn't new,' Caswell said. 'In a world where nearly everything is shared, this doesn't feel invasive to teens — it feels normal. It's just another way they stay looped into each other's lives.' Teens also use apps like this to track their parents, according to Caswell, whose own daughter will text her if she sees her mom is at Ulta and ask for lip gloss. 'For many teens, location sharing is about connection and a sense of safety,' Caswell explained. 'It's their way of saying, 'You're in my circle' and 'I've got your back.'' Understanding The Risks Even though sharing your location with friends might be popular, it doesn't come without consequences. Cheryl Groskopf, an anxiety, trauma, and attachment therapist based in Los Angeles, sees teens sharing their locations as a way 'to manage anxiety, track social dynamics and feel less alone.' 'There's comfort in knowing where your people are, especially in a world where teens constantly feel like they could get left out, replaced, or excluded,' she said. 'But that comfort is fragile — it relies on constant access (which leaves their nervous system hypervigilant to feeling 'left out').' 'If you're checking someone's location because you don't trust what they're telling you — or because they don't trust you — then it's already crossed into a control dynamic,' Groskopf said. In her practice, she's seen teens 'spiral' when they spot their friend at a party they weren't invited to, or 'because someone didn't respond fast enough, but 'was clearly at home.'' She explained, 'It becomes a setup for overthinking, panic, and social surveillance.' 'Teens shouldn't use location sharing when it's being used to avoid rejection, manage someone else's anxiety, or prove loyalty,' she added. McInnis said, 'Teens sharing their location and having their friends track them could harm their mental health.' Constantly seeing (and comparing) your friends' social activities 'can lead to feelings of inadequacy,' she added. Caswell agreed. 'Location sharing can intensify FOMO (fear of missing out) and social exclusion,' she said. 'Seeing a group of friends hanging out without them — even unintentionally — can make them feel lonelier and more left out.' In addition to these emotional risks, there are physical risks, too. Like a teen's location data being available to someone who might wish them harm. 'In the wrong hands, it can make [teens] more vulnerable to stalking, harassment or even predatory behavior, especially if they are in controlling relationships,' Caswell said. There's A Gender Gap Teen girls may be more likely to use location sharing as a way to feel safer. According to the Life360 survey, 70% of Gen Z women believe their physical well-being benefits from location sharing. In the field, our experts also found that females were more likely to do this. Caswell said that 'mostly girls' will openly share their location with friends, 'both for fun and because it makes them feel safer knowing someone always knows where they are.' However, this sense of safety is a double-edged sword, as it can 'increase the risk of stalking, harassment, or even sexual violence,' Caswell said. 'Especially when their location is shared with the wrong person, which is often someone they know and trust.' Groskopf warns of the dangers girls and femme teens may experience when their use of location-sharing is weaponized against them. 'It can easily turn into emotional surveillance disguised as closeness,' she explained. (For example, a friend or partner telling them, 'If you trust me, you'll let me see where you are.') 'I see these kinds of patterns play out in high-control dynamics — friends or partners checking locations not to stay safe, but to manage anxiety, jealousy, or power,' Groskopf said. 'And girls are way more likely to internalize that and comply, even when it feels off. They're more likely to be conditioned to avoid conflict, manage other people's emotions, and keep the peace — even if that means overriding their own boundaries.' That's why teaching your kids how to set boundaries, in real life and online, is important. Setting Boundaries Teaching your teen how to handle location-sharing in a safe way starts with conversations around consent and the ability to say no. When asked if there is a safe way for teens to share their locations, Groskopf said, 'Only if there's real consent, boundaries, and the freedom to opt out without punishment.' In this case, the punishment could be feeling guilt-tripped or rejected by a friend. 'That means not just technically having the option to stop sharing, but knowing you won't be guilted, shut out, or shamed if you do,' Groskopf continued. 'A parent saying, 'I want to know where you are in case of emergency' is one thing. A friend saying, 'Why'd you turn off your location?' with passive-aggressive silence afterward is something else entirely.' She added, 'Safe tracking only works when it's not being weaponized to regulate someone else's fear, jealousy, or insecurity.' How To Talk To Your Teen About Location Sharing Start the conversation with curiosity, not criticism, Caswell said. 'Instead of banning [location sharing], I recommend walking through privacy settings together and having calm conversations about why they're sharing in the first place,' she said. 'Is it for safety? To feel connected to their bestie? Because they feel pressured to? Helping teens understand why they are doing it makes location sharing a lot safer and more intentional.' From there, encourage your teen to only share their location with 'a small, trusted circle of close friends or family,' and check in on this list frequently. 'One mom I worked with told me her daughter was shocked to find an ex-boyfriend still had access to her location,' Caswell said. 'Of course, that explained why he kept 'randomly' showing up wherever she was. Instead of freaking out, the mom used it as an opportunity to talk with her daughter about how to use tech more safely moving forward.' It's always a good idea to talk with your teens about how to stay safe online and set boundaries around privacy with their friends. But keep in mind, this starts at home. 'Let your teen say no to you sometimes,' Caswell suggested. 'Practicing boundaries with someone safe gives them the confidence to do it with someone who isn't,' she added. 'That's how they build real-world safety skills — not just digital ones.' This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Buzz Feed
30-05-2025
- Buzz Feed
What Experts Think About Gen Z Sharing Their Location
Trends change, technology advances, yet teenagers always seem to stay the same. They find new ways to maintain social relevance — often by doing things older generations don't understand. (Don't believe me? Just try to guess what any of their slang terms mean.) One of the latest teen trends is something that might raise a few eyebrows among parents, due to safety and privacy concerns: location tracking. Although teens crave independence from their parents, they are voluntarily sharing their real-time whereabouts with their friends. Popular phone tracking app Life360 recently found that Gen Z is 70% more likely than any other age group to share their location with friends. And 94% of Gen Z surveyed said their lives benefit from location sharing. In May 2025, Snapchat announced that its location-sharing Snap Map has more than 400 million monthly active users, per TechCrunch. This influences other social media platforms, as Instagram is reportedly working on a similar Friend Map to allow users to see their friends' locations. Many adults, including Leigh McInnis, the executive director of Newport Healthcare, may feel wary about this trend; however, McInnis keeps an open mind. 'While my immediate instinct is related to the protection of privacy and boundaries,' she told HuffPost, 'I realize that this impulse is likely more related to my generational identity and discomfort with technology and tracking than the social needs and preferences of today's teens and young adults.' McInnis added, 'I think that it is important to explore the function of a behavior before judging it or intervening in it.' Not sure what to think about it — or how to ensure your teen uses an app like this safely? Keep reading for expert-backed opinions to help you understand why your teens might like sharing their location, as well as tips on setting boundaries and red flags to look for. 'Many of the teens I work with — including my own daughter — share their location with their friends,' said Dr. Cameron Caswell, adolescent psychologist, host of Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam podcast, and parent of a teen. 'It's a little about safety, but mostly 'because it's just fun to see what each other is doing.'' Back in the olden days (circa 2006), teens would update their Myspace status to let you know what they were up to. Later, they 'checked in' to places on Foursquare and Facebook, shared real-time updates on Snapchat and Instagram stories, and tweeted every detail of their lives. Now, they use Snapchat's Snap Map, Life360, or Apple's location sharing to share with their friends everywhere they are in real time. 'This isn't new,' Caswell said. 'In a world where nearly everything is shared, this doesn't feel invasive to teens — it feels normal. It's just another way they stay looped into each other's lives.' Teens also use apps like this to track their parents, according to Caswell, whose own daughter will text her if she sees her mom is at Ulta and ask for lip gloss. 'For many teens, location sharing is about connection and a sense of safety,' Caswell explained. 'It's their way of saying, 'You're in my circle' and 'I've got your back.'' Even though sharing your location with friends might be popular, it doesn't come without consequences. Cheryl Groskopf, an anxiety, trauma, and attachment therapist based in Los Angeles, sees teens sharing their locations as a way 'to manage anxiety, track social dynamics and feel less alone.' 'There's comfort in knowing where your people are, especially in a world where teens constantly feel like they could get left out, replaced, or excluded,' she said. 'But that comfort is fragile — it relies on constant access (which leaves their nervous system hypervigilant to feeling 'left out').' 'If you're checking someone's location because you don't trust what they're telling you — or because they don't trust you — then it's already crossed into a control dynamic,' Groskopf said. In her practice, she's seen teens 'spiral' when they spot their friend at a party they weren't invited to, or 'because someone didn't respond fast enough, but 'was clearly at home.'' She explained, 'It becomes a setup for overthinking, panic, and social surveillance.' 'Teens shouldn't use location sharing when it's being used to avoid rejection, manage someone else's anxiety, or prove loyalty,' she added. McInnis said, 'Teens sharing their location and having their friends track them could harm their mental health.' Constantly seeing (and comparing) your friends' social activities 'can lead to feelings of inadequacy,' she added. Caswell agreed. 'Location sharing can intensify FOMO (fear of missing out) and social exclusion,' she said. 'Seeing a group of friends hanging out without them — even unintentionally — can make them feel lonelier and more left out.' In addition to these emotional risks, there are physical risks, too. Like a teen's location data being available to someone who might wish them harm. 'In the wrong hands, it can make [teens] more vulnerable to stalking, harassment or even predatory behavior, especially if they are in controlling relationships,' Caswell said. There's A Gender Gap Teen girls may be more likely to use location sharing as a way to feel safer. According to the Life360 survey, 70% of Gen Z women believe their physical well-being benefits from location sharing. In the field, our experts also found that females were more likely to do this. Caswell said that 'mostly girls' will openly share their location with friends, 'both for fun and because it makes them feel safer knowing someone always knows where they are.' However, this sense of safety is a double-edged sword, as it can 'increase the risk of stalking, harassment, or even sexual violence,' Caswell said. 'Especially when their location is shared with the wrong person, which is often someone they know and trust.' Groskopf warns of the dangers girls and femme teens may experience when their use of location-sharing is weaponized against them. 'It can easily turn into emotional surveillance disguised as closeness,' she explained. (For example, a friend or partner telling them, 'If you trust me, you'll let me see where you are.') 'I see these kinds of patterns play out in high-control dynamics — friends or partners checking locations not to stay safe, but to manage anxiety, jealousy, or power,' Groskopf said. 'And girls are way more likely to internalize that and comply, even when it feels off. They're more likely to be conditioned to avoid conflict, manage other people's emotions, and keep the peace — even if that means overriding their own boundaries.' That's why teaching your kids how to set boundaries, in real life and online, is important. Setting Boundaries Teaching your teen how to handle location-sharing in a safe way starts with conversations around consent and the ability to say no. When asked if there is a safe way for teens to share their locations, Groskopf said, 'Only if there's real consent, boundaries, and the freedom to opt out without punishment.' In this case, the punishment could be feeling guilt-tripped or rejected by a friend. 'That means not just technically having the option to stop sharing, but knowing you won't be guilted, shut out, or shamed if you do,' Groskopf continued. 'A parent saying, 'I want to know where you are in case of emergency' is one thing. A friend saying, 'Why'd you turn off your location?' with passive-aggressive silence afterward is something else entirely.' She added, 'Safe tracking only works when it's not being weaponized to regulate someone else's fear, jealousy, or insecurity.' Start the conversation with curiosity, not criticism, Caswell said. 'Instead of banning [location sharing], I recommend walking through privacy settings together and having calm conversations about why they're sharing in the first place,' she said. 'Is it for safety? To feel connected to their bestie? Because they feel pressured to? Helping teens understand why they are doing it makes location sharing a lot safer and more intentional.' From there, encourage your teen to only share their location with 'a small, trusted circle of close friends or family,' and check in on this list frequently. 'One mom I worked with told me her daughter was shocked to find an ex-boyfriend still had access to her location,' Caswell said. 'Of course, that explained why he kept 'randomly' showing up wherever she was. Instead of freaking out, the mom used it as an opportunity to talk with her daughter about how to use tech more safely moving forward.' It's always a good idea to talk with your teens about how to stay safe online and set boundaries around privacy with their friends. But keep in mind, this starts at home. 'Let your teen say no to you sometimes,' Caswell suggested. 'Practicing boundaries with someone safe gives them the confidence to do it with someone who isn't,' she added. 'That's how they build real-world safety skills — not just digital ones.'
