Reading time: 4 min
- Smartphones combine GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks to provide highly accurate geolocation.
- Tools like Google Maps or Google Find My Device allow users to share and locate devices with mutual consent.
- French law requires consent to track a person's location; the family framework is based on educational support.
- The first NEOW secure smartphone integrates with Family Link parental controls to promote gradual independence and digital well-being.
Location tracking via smartphone is now a standard feature on most smartphones. It allows you to find your way around, share your location, locate a lost device, or reassure a loved one.
Some solutions involve a simple native setting, while others rely on a geolocation app or a specialized mobile app. But how does phone tracking actually work? What tools are available? And what does the law say in France?
How can you find out where someone is using their phone?
To determine a person's location using their phone, several technologies are used simultaneously. Smartphones combine various geolocation methods to determine the most accurate location possible.
GPS (Global Positioning System)
GPS is the most accurate method. It works by using satellites that send signals to the phone. By cross-referencing this data, the device calculates its location.
Accuracy: approximately 5 to 10 meters outdoors.
Limitation: less accurate indoors.
This technology is also used in certain GPS trackers and in dedicated devices such as a smartwatch.
Standard GPS systems provide an accuracy of approximately 5 to 10 meters in open areas. However, buildings, tunnels, or dense forests can reduce this accuracy, requiring the assistance of other networks.
Wi-Fi
Even without GPS enabled, a phone can be located using nearby Wi-Fi networks.
Accuracy: good in urban areas and indoors.
Limitation: depends on the density of available networks.
Mobile antenna and network triangulation
The phone can also be located using mobile network cell towers.
Accuracy: variable, sometimes by tens or hundreds of meters.
Advantage: works even without GPS enabled.
This method is also used by some standalone GPS trackers.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth enables short-range tracking, particularly through connected devices or proximity GPS trackers.
Accuracy: very good at close range.
Limitation: useful only within a limited area.
In practice, phone geolocation combines GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks to improve the accuracy of the displayed location.
| Technology | Average accuracy | Key strengths and limitations |
|---|---|---|
| GPS | 5 to 10 meters | Excellent outdoors, but the signal is often blocked inside buildings. |
| Wi-Fi networks | 10 to 30 meters | Very effective in urban and indoor environments, but depends on nearby access points. |
| Cellular triangulation | 50 to 500 meters | Coverage across the entire area, even without data, but with low accuracy. |
| Bluetooth | Less than 10 meters | Ideal for use at very close range (lost items), with a very limited range. |
Geolocation tools and services
Many apps use a phone's location data to provide convenient services.
Some of the most popular:
- Google Maps (navigation and location sharing)
- WhatsApp (temporary sharing)
- Google Find My Device
- Apple's Find My app
- SmartThings Find (Samsung)
- Solutions like Find My Kids
- Various specialized location-based applications
These services function as a tracking app when location sharing is enabled by the user.
Some families also use a parental control app that includes real-time location tracking. This type of tool often combines geolocation with app management to help monitor phone usage.
How do you track a cell phone using another cell phone?
It is possible to track a cell phone using another cell phone, provided that the person in question has given their consent.
There are several options available:
-
Real-time location sharing
On Google Maps or WhatsApp, a user can share their location for a set period of time. -
Services integrated into the systems
On Android, Google Find My Device lets you locate a device linked to a Google account.
On iPhone, the Find My app lets you view the location of a device or an authorized contact. -
Specialized apps
Some platforms, such as Find My Kids, function as parental control apps, combining location tracking with safety settings.
In any case, the device must be turned on, connected to the Internet, and location services enabled.
How can you track your teenager's smartphone using NEOW Kids?
In a family setting, geolocation can help foster a teenager's independence, especially when traveling to and from school.
The first secure smartphones offered by NEOW Kids are compatible with parental control apps such as Google Family Link. Parents can check the phone's location from their dedicated dashboard with complete peace of mind.
This parental control app also lets you:
- Limiting screen time,
- Managing installed applications,
- Validation of downloads from the secure store,
- And location tracking.
Unlike simple GPS trackers, a smartphone remains a fully-featured device, configured within a controlled digital environment.
For certain uses, a smartwatch for teens with built-in GPS can also be a useful addition to their gear.
The goal is not constant monitoring, but rather a gradual move toward independence, combining flexible parental guidance, education, and trust.
Google Family Link: A service that allows you to set up customizable parental controls on Android devices, offering screen time management, app management, and secure location tracking.
Secure store: An app download environment (such as the NEOW Store) that filters out inappropriate content to maintain a controlled digital environment.
Google Find My Device: A built-in Android feature that lets you ring, lock, or locate a lost device on a map.
Legal considerations, privacy, and precautions
Location tracking via mobile phones involves sensitive personal data.
Consent required
In France, tracking a person's location without their consent may constitute an invasion of privacy. The use of a parental control app must therefore be appropriate and explained to the teenager to ensure their digital well-being.
Privacy Risks
Geolocation involves several risks:
- Excessive data collection,
- Account hacking,
- Location spoofing,
- Reliance on monitoring tools.
A reliable parental control app must include robust security features to maintain a safe environment.
The Legality of Geolocation Without Consent
Article 226-15 of the French Criminal Code specifically addresses violations of privacy related to communications. Tracking an adult without their consent may result in criminal penalties.
GPS trackers installed without consent may also be considered illegal.
Phone-based geolocation is therefore a powerful tool, whether it’s a simple location-tracking app, a parental control app, or devices such as GPS trackers.
When used with transparency and balance, it promotes parental peace of mind without infringing on privacy.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Sources and references
- CNIL - Smartphone Geolocation and Privacy.
- ARCEP - Reports on the quality of mobile services and the technical operation of cellular triangulation in France.
