CHANGES could be made to the way in which companies track children using their mobile telephones, if Amber Valley MP Judy Mallaber gets her wish.
Advances in technology means that companies can offer a tracking service to parents allowing them to keep an eye on their children.
Although Judy feels this technology could be useful, she also warns it could pose a danger, and called for tighter re
gulation when she spoke in House of Commons on Tuesday.
Speaking to the House, Judy proposed a bill to establish a licensing regime for the sale or promotion of any service providing data on the location of children.
She said: "In the right hands, location data, knowing where someone is, can be valuable and reassuring, but in the wrong hands such data is extremely dangerous.
"My Bill will set up a licensing and regulatory regime to make sure that those services are in the right hands and that those who are being tracked know about it.
"Also, for the first time in our history, we have it within our power-every one of us, not just James Bond types or the police, to track another person 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year."
Judy explained how easy is was to trace someone's location just through their phone number and often without consent of the tracked victim.
She said: "A child location service can give parents peace of mind, but what peace of mind will they have if such services remain unregulated and open to any stranger to misuse? That stranger may be one of those people who are so clever at grooming a child.
She added: "The issue is not just about child protection. We are sleep-walking into a world where jealous partners or obsessed stalkers could spy on us simply by obtaining our phone number.
"We must act now before that new surveillance industry gets out of hand and we must establish controls and a licensing regime fast."
The proposed bill has been welcomed by children's charity NCH. John Carr, NCH's new technology adviser said: "NCH believes the protection of children is everyone's responsibility. It seems that every time location based services are investigated by the media, yet another bug or flaw is uncovered which the company running the service then promises to put right immediately.
"This is simply not good enough and underlines the importance of Judy Mallaber's Bill to establish a licensing regime for location based services. We cannot afford to take any chances with information which might affect the safety of children."
By Stephen Sinfield