New Verizon survey reveals how families stay safe and connected on Halloween

• Seventy-eight percent of parents see technology as a helpful tool for keeping their kids safe on Halloween.
• Nine in 10 parents will monitor their trick-or-treaters, with most using a smartphone or wearable devices — and Latino parents are more likely to use this tech than all other parents.
• Over a third of parents want an SOS button on their child’s device for safer trick-or-treating.
• Black/African American and Latino parents are more likely to use technology — like phones, smartwatches, and location-sharing apps — to monitor their kids while trick-or-treating compared to all other parents.

NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As ghosts and goblins prepare to hit the streets, a new survey from Verizon, conducted in collaboration with Morning Consult, shows that parents are increasingly turning to technology to find the perfect balance between Halloween fun, their children’s independence and their own peace of mind.

The survey reveals a common parental dilemma: while 61% of parents with children 6 and over worry more about their child’s safety on Halloween than on other holidays, a strong majority (72%) say that allowing their kids some independence on Halloween is important. Technology is bridging that gap, with just over three in four parents (78%) viewing it as a helpful tool for keeping their children safe during trick-or-treating.

The data shows that the overwhelming majority (over 9 in 10) of parents with children 6 and over plan to monitor or check in with their kids while they are out. The most common methods include phone calls or texts (88%), location-sharing apps (75%) and wearable devices (69%).

This survey highlights the delicate balance parents maintain every Halloween between fostering independence and ensuring safety. We want parents to know that when it comes to staying connected to and protecting what matters most, we got you.

With award-winning network reliability and the unmatched support of family-focused technology tools, Verizon helps give families that extra layer of reassurance, so they can focus more on the fun and less on the fear.

Key findings from the Verizon Halloween Family Survey

Frequent check-ins are the new norm: Of parents using a smartphone to monitor their trick-or-treaters, 59% plan to check in multiple times an hour, with 78% checking in at least once an hour. And 24% of Black/African American parents monitor kids via phone calls/texts every few minutes, compared to 8% of parents of other backgrounds.