Geeks, as Halloween night approaches, parents are charging more than flashlights this year — they’re powering up smartphones, wearables, and safety apps. A new national Verizon + Morning Consult survey of over 670 U.S. parents reveals that 78% see technology as a vital safety tool for trick-or-treating. The findings highlight a clear trend: tech-enabled parenting isn’t just for the everyday — it’s shaping how families navigate spooky season, too.
Parents Are Balancing Freedom and Fear
Halloween is both magical and nerve-wracking for parents. According to the survey, 61% of parents with kids aged 6 and up worry more about safety on Halloween than any other holiday. Yet at the same time, 72% say granting their kids some independence on this one night is just as important.
So how do parents pull off this delicate balance? Technology. More than nine in ten parents plan to monitor or check in with their children while they’re out trick-or-treating — and they’re doing it through phones, apps, and wearables that bring real-time visibility and peace of mind.
Wearables Take Center Stage
Of those parents keeping tabs on their little goblins, 88% rely on phone calls or texts, 75% use location-sharing apps, and 69% have turned to wearable devices like kid-friendly smartwatches. Parents from Black/African American and Latino communities are leading adopters, with a higher likelihood of using technology such as GPS trackers, smartwatches, and live location-sharing tools compared to all other groups.
Even more striking — parents aren’t just passively checking in. Among those monitoring via smartphone, 59% plan to check in multiple times per hour, and nearly one in four Black/African American parents (24%) say they’ll do so every few minutes.
Parents Want More Safety-First Features
The survey uncovered a growing demand for built-in SOS features on kids’ devices. Over 35% of parents said an emergency SOS button would make trick-or-treating significantly safer. That sentiment directly aligns with Verizon’s Gizmo Watch 3, a wearable designed specifically for kids that already includes real-time GPS tracking, two-way calling, safe zone alerts, and a dedicated SOS button that instantly notifies a trusted contact.
And for families who want to take it further, Verizon Family, the company’s all-in-one monitoring platform, helps parents manage screen time, filter online content, and track physical location in real time. The app’s Safe Walk with SOS feature even allows parents to monitor their child’s walk home from a friend’s house or candy route — ensuring visibility from door to door.
The Bigger Picture: Tech as Modern Parenting
Verizon’s message is clear: technology is now part of the modern family safety kit. With award-winning network reliability and an expanding lineup of connected devices, Verizon is positioning itself not just as a telecom giant, but as a family safety partner.
The survey — conducted in early October 2025 — reflects how deeply integrated digital tools have become in parenting culture. Even during a night built around fantasy and fun, parents are embracing wearables and connectivity to manage real-world risks.
Source: Verizon 10.16.25
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