A GPS Tracker on Guns: Enhanced Safety or Worrying Implications?
OutdoorHub Reporters 03.10.16
The developers of TracFind, a small GPS-enabled device that you can attach to just about anything and track on your phone, is making waves in the gun-owning community—but not all of that attention is positive. TracFind recently made a push to market the device to gun owners, including an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign that shows how the device can be attached to a firearm, or even a safe. Since the device is equipped with a motion sensor, it is able to instantly notify its owner if it is being moved, along with the optional ability to notify local law enforcement as well. Authorities can then locate the item—and perhaps the people responsible for moving it—through GPS tracking.
According to TracFind, this gives gun owners peace of mind. This makes sense on paper, since gun owners will be able to track their firearms, and will know as soon as their safe has been disturbed. However, not everyone is a fan. Some gun owners worry about the implications of tracking individual firearms, which is also common in so-called “smart gun” devices. The fact that TracFind is currently developing a separate version of the device that is integrally embedded into firearms is only exacerbating these concerns.
You can watch a demonstration below:
“While that sounds great, the TracFind app continuously monitors the location of a tagged firearm,” wrote Robert Farago of the popular blog The Truth About Guns. “The government could, theoretically, surreptitiously monitor a gun owner’s firearms. (It wouldn’t be as hard as data mining billions of phone calls.) Or they could do it legally (though unconstitutionally) by requiring a link from guns to a police database.”
Some others have also pointed out that should this technology be readily accessible, lawmakers may attempt to pass bills that would require all firearms to have GPS tracking.
“I don’t think so! It’s my business where my firearms are, and mine alone. If people worry about a gun being picked up or stolen, go buy a safe!” wrote on commenter on TracFind’s Facebook page.
Other gun owners however, are open to the idea of a removable device they can use to monitor their firearms or gun safes. As long as the device and its features are optional, some say that it would be a lot easier to track gun thieves, retrieve lost firearms, or just generally enhance safety. Since the device is so easy to use and attaches to just about anything—or anyone—it is likely that that it will find controversy not just among gun owners. Some have already voiced their concerns that the device can be used to aid stalkers or criminals.
What are your thoughts? You can learn more about the device below:
TracFind-Track Anything, Anytime, Anywhere from TracFind on Vimeo.
