Life360, a family location tracking app with 80 million users, has announced multiple security breaches to over 440 thousand users. Employees said they announced that the incident occurred due to a systematic flaw in the Application Programming Interface, a software designed to confirm correct login credentials.
According to Onerep, the first security breach dates back to March of 2024, but Life360 did not notify the 442,519 affected users until June of 2024. The breach released confidential information such as full names, phone numbers and email addresses.
Senior Felix McGowan said that Life360 feels like a violation of his privacy and independence even though his mother relies on it to know his location. While McGowan said he isn’t thrilled about the breaches, he does not feel concerned enough to talk with his mother about deleting the app.
“I don’t think it’s worth starting the argument over. Ultimately, what are the hackers gonna do with that information? I’m just some guy in Lawrence, Kan., so I think I’ll be okay,” McGowan said.
On the other hand, senior Jozzie Zablow—Maloney said that Life360 helped locate her father when he was detained for two hours by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Her mother rushed to the scene when she noticed he was four minutes away from their home.
Additionally, senior Addyson Tenbrick said she enjoys having Life360 as a tool to view her parents’ location, but is concerned about the app after learning of the breaches.
“I use it to know where my parents are too,” Tenbrink said. “I don’t think my parents will care that much, honestly. They’ll probably be like, ‘Well, I’d rather know where you guys are.”
According to a survey from Life360, 94% of Generation Z users benefit from location sharing apps. As younger generations continue to embrace new technology, Librarian Marissa Hegeman said she hopes her children are learning how to protect themselves.
“It feels like a hopeless situation. As fast as technology is advancing, in theory, it should be protecting us,” Hegeman said. “There are people who are figuring out ‘work arounds’ to do that. And in this day and age, maybe a lot of people don’t get educated about how to keep themselves safe.”
Hegeman said she believes that relying on apps to monitor her children’s whereabouts may undermine trust. She said she prefers to invest in honest communication and relationship building with her children.
“I would not put my trust in a company like that. Maybe focus on building relationships and communicating with your children,” Hegeman said.
