Would you track your partner’s phone?

Trust and understanding are two elements that make a relationship stronger. But today, many homes are torn apart because these qualities are non-existent. Instead, infidelity, lack of trust, spousal abuse and misunderstandings has taken over.

Not knowing where to turn to, most couples feel that tracking their partner’s whereabouts is the best thing to do. But what are tracking devices and how do they work?

The Collins dictionary defines a tracking device as “an electronic security device which allows you to monitor the location of a person or object, especially a vehicle.” This device uses what is known as Global positioning system (or GPS), to determine and track a precise location, and hence that of its carrier, at intervals.

LifeXtra sought to know from respondents if they would use a tracking device to monitor their partners, and there were very interesting responses.

Awo Kingsley Emeka, a law student, responded with an emphatic NO. He said “You offer trust to get trust. It’s hard for them to trust you if you don’t trust them. Installing such device shows you don’t trust them, and expecting to be trusted in return is just foolhardy, so no.”

“Another reason – No matter what, they have a right to their privacy I think.”

Chuks Enyi, a married man, said he won’t “Because it’s all about trust. If you keep looking for something, you may find it eventually. What if you don’t like the outcome? So, why would I make conscious effort to look for something that will hurt me?

“Just as they say ‘love is blind’; you should also trust your spouse blindly. Shut your eyes and mind to anything that will hurt the relationship,” he added.

Aransiola Aderonke Akintunde, who is also married, enumerated several reasons. Speaking to LifeXtra, she said “My answer is no.”

Citing her reasons, she reiterated that it was an invasion of privacy “which being the wife does not give you the right to. There should be boundaries. It’s sometimes better to be in the dark about some things. What’s the point of snooping when at the end it steals your joy (that is if you allow what you see to) and ultimately you can’t do anything about it.”

“In the end each spouse has his/her life to live and should be left to enjoy it without the extra baggage.”

Blessing Yacoub, a postgraduate student, stated “Ideally in a perfect world and a perfect relationship doing such a thing shouldn’t even cross one’s mind, but as we all know the world is not perfect and neither are relationships. So if installing such an app will give me peace of mind or clear doubts on certain issues why not? Do you know that though trust is a requirement in a relationship not all relationships have it, because trust is like a mirror; once broken it can never be fixed completely.”

 “For instance let’s say I was unfaithful to my spouse, but we have made-up and gone past it. When he sees me showing some signs even if I am not cheating he can become suspicious but if he has a tracking device his doubts can be cleared and we can go back,” she added.

Concurring with Yacoub, David Lein Victor said “Never! Of what importance is the relationship then if there’s no element of trust? Installing such device portrays an immature mind; it shows I don’t know what I want. I can’t love someone I don’t trust in this regard.”

Taofik Rotimi told LifeXtra “No I can’t because I believe in giving people their privacy, and I believe for her to be my partner I have a certain level of trust for her. Moreover knowing too much/everything is bad; I can’t kill myself with high BP.”