Fambushing trend sees children using GPS to track parents

A new social media trend known as ‘fambushing’—a portmanteau of ‘family’ and ‘ambushing’—is seeing children and teenagers use geolocation technology to track their parents. Originating on social media platforms in the United States and driven by Gen Z, the practice involves young people monitoring their parents' real-time locations to surprise them, request food, or verify their whereabouts.

Tools such as the Life360 app, which was originally designed for parents to monitor their children, are being used in reverse. Sheldon Bachan, communications director for Life360, noted that adolescents, particularly those of driving age, often consult family location data more frequently than adults. Other methods used for this purpose include Snapchat’s map feature and standard smartphone location sharing.