Findmykids data from 1,839 active accounts with grandparent-related profile names shows that family location-sharing circles can extend beyond the traditional parent-child model. Many of these accounts share circles with other participants, while location-related features such as geofences, place alerts, and profile openings are also recorded.<\/p>\n
Among eligible accounts, 78.22% shared a circle with at least one other participant<\/strong>. Nearly one-third of the analyzed circles included both Child and Adult roles alongside a grandparent-related label, and almost two-thirds of eligible circles had active geofences.<\/p>\n The findings do not prove that the account holders are older adults or that the participants are related. They also do not establish whether someone viewed another person’s live location or why families used these features.<\/p>\n Instead, the research describes a broader pattern of family location sharing: accounts identified by grandparent-related names appear in shared circles where location tools and notifications are actively used.<\/p>\n The clearest finding is that many accounts with grandparent-related names are not isolated profiles. They are connected to other participants through family location-sharing circles.<\/p>\n Between April and September 2026, Findmykids identified 1,839 active accounts<\/strong> whose current profile names matched English terms associated with grandparents.<\/p>\n Of these, 1,599 matched feminine word forms, while 240 matched masculine forms. These are categories of profile labels, not verified demographic characteristics.<\/p>\n Researchers then examined accounts with valid coordinates and current circle membership. Among 1,396 eligible accounts, 1,092 had at least one other participant in their circle<\/strong>. That represents 78.22% of the eligible group.<\/p>\n The remaining 304 accounts had no other current circle member under the study’s definition.<\/p>\n A shared circle creates the possibility of location access between participants. However, it does not confirm that another person actually checked the account’s location.<\/p>\n For most eligible grandparent-labeled accounts, family location sharing involves at least one other participant rather than a standalone profile.<\/p>\n Family location sharing is commonly discussed as a connection between a parent and a child. But the composition of circles associated with grandparent-related labels suggests a more varied picture.<\/p>\n Findmykids analyzed 2,106 active circles<\/strong> associated with the identified accounts.<\/p>\n Among these circles:<\/p>\n The presence of both Child and Adult roles is compatible with a multigenerational family arrangement. For example, a circle could include a child, a parent, and an older relative.<\/p>\n But this is only one possible interpretation. Findmykids cannot verify family relationships from these product roles, and a profile label does not establish that its owner is a grandparent.<\/p>\n The analysis also counts circles rather than households. An account may participate in more than one circle.<\/p>\n Nearly one-third of the analyzed circles combined Child and Adult roles with a grandparent-related label, showing that these location-sharing environments can include different participant roles.<\/p>\n Location sharing is not limited to opening a map. Family locator apps can also support place-based features, including virtual boundaries around frequently visited locations.<\/p>\n These boundaries, known as geofences, can be used to trigger notifications when a participating device arrives at or leaves a designated area.<\/p>\n Findmykids examined 2,038 eligible circles<\/strong> associated with the identified cohort.<\/p>\n Of these, 1,318 circles (64.67%) had at least one active geofence<\/strong>. Across the analyzed circles, researchers identified 4,773 active geofences.<\/p>\n This shows that geofence settings were present in a substantial proportion of the circles.<\/p>\n However, the presence of an active geofence does not mean it was configured specifically for a grandparent-labeled account. It also does not prove that an alert was sent every time a location boundary was crossed.<\/p>\n Active geofences appeared in nearly two-thirds of eligible circles, indicating that place-based location settings are part of these shared environments.<\/p>\n A configured geofence shows that a location-related feature exists. Notification events provide a more direct view of how place alerts are used.<\/p>\n In September 2026, Findmykids recorded arrival notifications sent to about 424 grandparent-labeled accounts<\/strong>. These notifications were addressed to 837 recipient accounts.<\/p>\n During the same period, departure notifications were sent to about 415 accounts<\/strong>, with 823 recipient accounts.<\/p>\n The two groups may overlap. An account could have been associated with both arrival and departure notifications during the month.<\/p>\n Researchers also identified associated notification-opening events.<\/p>\n For arrival alerts, at least one opening was recorded in connection with 162 of the 424 target accounts<\/strong>. For departure alerts, the corresponding figure was 175 of 415 target accounts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n These figures describe the accounts whose location events generated notifications, not necessarily the accounts that received them.<\/p>\n The available data records successful sending through the notification provider, but does not confirm that every notification appeared on a recipient’s device or was read.<\/p>\n Even with these limitations, the results provide evidence that location events involving some grandparent-labeled accounts were communicated to other participants.<\/p>\n Arrival and departure notifications were sent about hundreds of identified accounts in September, showing that place-alert functionality was used in connection with these profiles.<\/p>\n Another way to examine interaction within family location-sharing circles is to look at profile-opening activity.<\/p>\n Findmykids analyzed how often profiles belonging to the identified accounts were opened on different days during September 2026.<\/p>\n The research found that:<\/p>\n These are cumulative groups. For example, the 79 accounts with openings on at least ten days are also included in the seven-day and one-day categories.<\/p>\n The results show that interaction with some profiles occurred repeatedly during the month, rather than only once.<\/p>\n However, profile openings do not necessarily mean that someone viewed an updated location. The same profile may also have been opened by different participants on different days.<\/p>\n Map-only visits were not included in this measure.<\/p>\n The data cannot establish whether these interactions were motivated by concern, routine coordination, curiosity, or another reason.<\/p>\n For 121 grandparent-labeled accounts, profile openings occurred on at least seven days in September, indicating repeated interaction with these profiles without proving repeated live-location checks.<\/p>\n Family location-sharing services may also include features intended to help users request assistance.<\/p>\n In September 2026, Findmykids recorded successful SOS-send events associated with seven accounts<\/strong> from the identified cohort.<\/p>\n These events occurred across eight distinct account-days.<\/p>\n The figure is relatively small compared with the full cohort of 1,839 accounts, but it confirms that SOS-send functionality appeared in the recorded activity.<\/p>\n The available analytics do not establish what prompted each event. Some events could have involved testing or other circumstances unrelated to an emergency.<\/p>\n Nor can the data confirm that emergency services, relatives, or other people responded.<\/p>\n Seven accounts had recorded successful SOS sends in September. These events demonstrate feature activity, not seven confirmed emergencies.<\/p>\n The findings highlight a broader context for family location-sharing technology.<\/p>\n While GPS tracking is frequently associated with parents monitoring children’s whereabouts, location sharing can also be used between adults who choose to remain connected.<\/p>\n For example, family members may agree to share locations while traveling, coordinating visits, or managing everyday routines.<\/p>\n For older relatives, this type of arrangement may provide an additional communication option without requiring constant calls or messages.<\/p>\n However, the Findmykids study does not directly measure why users joined circles or enabled location features. It cannot establish that the identified accounts belong to older adults or that location sharing improved their safety.<\/p>\n The distinction between connection and monitoring is particularly important when location sharing involves adults.<\/p>\n A useful arrangement depends on informed consent, clear expectations about access, and respect for personal independence.<\/p>\n Family members should understand who can see their location, what notifications may be generated, and how these settings can be changed.<\/p>\n The research shows that family location-sharing environments can extend beyond a simple parent-child configuration. Whether they support independence and connection depends on how people choose to use them.<\/p>\n The strongest conclusion is not that older adults are increasingly using GPS trackers. The available data does not establish that trend.<\/p>\n Instead, the findings show that accounts carrying grandparent-related names appear in location-sharing circles with other participants, and that features such as geofences, notifications, and profile openings are present in their recorded activity.<\/p>\n This suggests a broader use case for family locator technology: maintaining connections across different participant roles and potentially across generations.<\/p>\n For families, the practical question may be less about continuously checking someone’s whereabouts and more about agreeing when location sharing would be helpful.<\/p>\n A family might choose to use place alerts for routine coordination, share locations during travel, or keep SOS functionality available as an additional communication tool.<\/p>\n Findmykids offers family location-sharing features, including geofences, place alerts, and SOS, subject to account permissions and device compatibility.<\/p>\n Families interested in sharing location with older relatives can learn more about family tracking for older parents.<\/p>\n Family location sharing may help people stay connected across generations, but it should complement communication and personal choice rather than replace them.<\/p>\n This research is based on aggregated and anonymized Findmykids product data from English-language app locales across multiple countries.<\/p>\n Findmykids is a family safety app that provides location-sharing and related features, including family circles, geofences, location alerts, and SOS functionality.<\/p>\n Need additional statistics for your story? The Findmykids Research Team may be able to provide further aggregated data on family location-sharing circles, geofence use, place alerts, or related product activity, subject to data availability and privacy requirements.<\/p>\n\n
Key Findings<\/h2>\n
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Most Grandparent-Labeled Accounts Are Connected to Other Circle Members<\/h2>\n
Nearly One in Three Circles Includes Both Child and Adult Roles<\/h2>\n
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Nearly Two-Thirds of Eligible Circles Have Active Geofences<\/h2>\n
Arrival and Departure Alerts Were Sent About Hundreds of Accounts<\/h2>\n
Some Profiles Were Opened on Seven or More Days in a Month<\/h2>\n
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SOS Activity Was Recorded, but Emergencies Cannot Be Confirmed<\/h2>\n
Why Family Location Sharing Matters Beyond Childhood<\/h2>\n
What These Findings Mean for Family Safety<\/h2>\n
Methodology<\/h2>\n
Population<\/h3>\n
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Analysis Period<\/h3>\n
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How Grandparent-Related Accounts Were Identified<\/h3>\n
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How Family Circles Were Analyzed<\/h3>\n
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How Feature Activity Was Counted<\/h3>\n
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Limitations<\/h2>\n
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Need More Data?<\/h2>\n
Request Data<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t