Helicopter parenting just got a hardware upgrade.<\/p>\n
Skechers has launched a new kids\u2019 sneaker line \u2014 \u201cFind My Skechers\u201d \u2014 with a covert feature that\u2019s raising eyebrows: a hidden compartment under the insole, tailor-made for an Apple AirTag.<\/p>\n
This unexpected feature allows for \u201ceasy tracking and comfort of mind,\u201d the brand\u2019s product page boasts.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHidden compartment under the heel of the insole has a screw-tight cover that comfortably hides the AirTag. Apple AirTag and screwdriver not included.\u201d<\/p>\n On paper, it\u2019s a smart fix for misplaced sneakers. In reality? It\u2019s a stealthy way to keep tabs on the kiddos \u2014 igniting a digital dust-up over whether it\u2019s parental peace of mind or toddler-tailgating gone too far. SKETCHERS<\/p>\n From the outside, these Skechers are indistinguishable from the regular line \u2014 no branding hints at the AirTag hiding inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n The compartment\u2019s screw-on lid keeps the tracker secure, safe from curious toddlers (and would-be pocket thieves). Sizes run from toddlers to eight-year-olds, with prices starting at $52 \u2014 AirTag sold separately.<\/p>\n In theory, it\u2019s a clever way for parents to locate lost shoes. In practice? It\u2019s a way to track their kids without them knowing \u2014 sparking an online brawl<\/a> over whether this is parental peace of mind or pint-sized surveillance.<\/p>\n In a video<\/a> posted to TikTok by @brutamerica showing the new sneakers, commenters were split between safety and Big Brother fears. \u201cThis could end badly or good,\u201d one wrote.<\/p>\n Another argued, \u201cThere\u2019s too many kids that go missing without a trace to worry about normalizing tracking above the safety factor. If the world was a safer place we can talk about the problems of normalizing tracking all day\u2026 but it\u2019s far too dangerous to worry about that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is actually smart,\u201d chimed in someone else.<\/p>\n Reactions ranged from praise for the safety benefits \u2014 especially for kids with special needs \u2014 to blunt rejections and warnings that the shoes veer into creepy, Big Brother territory. SKETCHERS<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m more worried abt the AirTag\u2019s ability to handle all the normal kid activities (running, jumping, etc) while not breaking\u2026 damage to the AirTag could really hurt a kid if it\u2019s in their shoe,\u201d pointed out someone else. <\/p>\n From the outside, these Skechers look like any other pair, but a screw\u2011lid compartment hidden inside the insole secures an AirTag, with sizes from toddlers to eight\u2011year\u2011olds starting at $52 \u2014 tracker sold separately. SKETCHERS<\/p>\n Skechers isn\u2019t the first brand to embrace AirTag accessorizing, but the shoes may be the most discreet option yet.<\/p>\n Still, critics see them as a step toward<\/a> normalizing constant tracking \u2014 until we\u2019re all wearing GPS-ready clothing by default.<\/p>\n