Location-sharing apps are enabling domestic violence. But young people aren’t aware of the danger

Location-sharing apps are shaping how we connect and communicate – especially among younger people. Snap Map, a popular feature within Snapchat, is widely used by teens and young adults to stay in the loop and facilitate real-time meet-ups with friends and partners.Meanwhile, Life360 markets itself as “Australia’s number one family safety app”. It offers parents peace of mind through continuous, sophisticated location tracking.These apps determine a person’s real-time location primarily with GPS technology that’s already in a phone. The convenience and sense of security they provide might be appealing to many people. But they can also enable stalking and other forms of coercive control.The recent inquest into the murder of Lilie James starkly highlighted these risks. However, our research on young people’s perceptions of technology-facilitated abuse has shown many of them are not aware of the danger.A meticulously planned murderIn October 2023, James, a 21-year-old water polo coach, was killed by her 24-year-old ex-boyfriend, Paul Thijssen, in a bathroom at St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Sydney.James had been in a brief relationship with Thijssen. But she ended it when he became obsessed.The coronial inquest revealed Thijssen had meticulously planned the murder. He had also used a range of coercively controlling
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