A relationship therapist has recently highlighted potential concerns for couples who engage in location sharing with each other.
The convenience of sending your location or having your partner on a location app can be undeniable. It helps when you’re arranging meet-ups, waiting for their arrival, or ensuring they’ve reached home safely.
While some individuals embrace the idea of location sharing with their partner, others resist, worried that it might resemble monitoring.
Still, there’s a notion that a relationship isn’t ‘official’ without a location-sharing app, and Life360 reports an increase in couples using such features.
“Ninety-five per cent of adults use some form of location-sharing tech, with 40 per cent relying on apps like Life 360,” Life360 Chief Marketing Officer Mike Zeman told FOX News.
“They’re using it for knowing that their partner is safe or being alerted when they’re not…so seeing where they are on the map, you know, versus having to sort of text or call,” he continued.
He further mentioned, “Nearly 60 per cent of them say that sharing makes the relationship just feel more official. Nearly 70 per cent say that it improves convenience and coordination in the relationship.”
According to the survey, 45 per cent of app users believe that knowing their partner’s location contributes positively to their mental health.
However, despite its advantages, one expert has cautioned against this practice.
Couples therapist Joanna Harrison shared her perspective with the Guardian, warning that sharing locations might disrupt the ‘balance between independence and togetherness’.
She noted that anticipating a partner’s arrival based on their location might detract from the romantic aspect.
“It would be a shame if these apps took away an opportunity to share the details of each other’s independent lives because they already knew them,” she stated.
“There’s also a part of me that feels that a bit of romance is lost when you know, to the second, where someone is. What about the satisfying feeling of longing to be met when you know someone is arriving, but you don’t quite know when?”
Anna Martin, host of the Modern Love podcast, acknowledged the advantages but emphasized the importance of responsible use, likening location tracking to a ‘superpower’.
She cautioned against misuse by stating, “But like any superpower, it must be used responsibly. And sometimes, that means just turning it off.”