Location Sharing Risks
How location-sharing features can put children at risk and practical steps to manage location privacy across devices and apps.
What is this?
Many apps and devices share a child's location — sometimes without their knowledge. Social media posts, geotagged photos, location-based features in games, and tracking apps can all reveal where a child is in real time. This information, if accessible to the wrong person, creates serious safety risks.
How it works
Location data can be embedded in photos (EXIF data), shared through features like Snapchat's Snap Map, broadcast via live location sharing in messaging apps, or exposed through check-ins and public posts. Even apps that do not seem location-focused may request and share location data in the background. A combination of location data points can build a detailed picture of a child's routines and movements.
Warning signs
In your child's behaviour
- • Regularly checking in at locations or sharing their whereabouts publicly on social media
- • Using live location features with people they have only met online
- • Being unaware that their location is being shared through their device or apps
On their device
- • Location services turned on for a large number of apps that do not require it
- • Snap Map or similar features set to public or 'Ghost Mode' turned off
- • Photos containing embedded location metadata being shared publicly
Prevention steps
Audit location permissions
Go through your child's device settings and review which apps have access to location data. Disable location access for any app that does not genuinely need it, and set others to 'only while using the app'.
Disable photo geotagging
Turn off location services for the camera app so that photos do not contain embedded location data that could be extracted by others.
Discuss location-sharing features
Make sure your child understands features like Snap Map, Find My, and live location sharing. Agree that these should only ever be shared with trusted family members.
What to do if it happens
- 1Turn off location sharing immediately and review all apps for location permissions.
- 2If location data has been shared with an unknown or concerning person, change all privacy settings and report the person to the platform.
- 3If there is any indication that someone may use the information to locate your child, contact the police on 101 (or 999 if there is an immediate risk).
Related topics
If you need to report this
In immediate danger: call 999. For non-emergency police matters, call 101.
Concerned about a child but it's not an emergency? NSPCC helpline 0808 800 5000. Childline for young people 0800 1111.
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.
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Last reviewed: 2026-04-19