Beware Of These Stalking Apps That May Collect Information On You

Dhir Acharya - Oct 24, 2019


Beware Of These Stalking Apps That May Collect Information On You

The Federal Trade Commission of the US has settled its first case where it goes against a firm that was said to create “stalkerware” and “stalking apps.”

The Federal Trade Commission of the US has settled its first case where it goes against a firm that was said to create “stalkerware” and “stalking apps.” The company in question is Retina-X Studios developing and selling apps namely TeenShield, PhoneSheriff, and MobileSpy that secretly monitored users via their phones, according to FTC attorney Lisa Weintraub in a Tuesday blog post.

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These apps gathered data including browser history, GPS locations, call logs, photos, and text messages, all without users' consent or knowledge. While the apps were initially marketed for parents who want to monitor their children or keep track of employees at workplaces, the FTC accused them of being abused to track the online and physical activities of their victims.

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Additionally, the commission accused that that data, which included information on children, was not kept safe and confidential by the developer company. As stated in the settlement, Retina-X Studios must make sure the apps are only used for legitimate purposes. Plus, the company must ensure that all the collected data will be destroyed and that it will build a better security program.

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How can you know that your phone is housing stalkerware? The FTC suggested several clues including the battery of the devices draining more quickly than usual; an abuser can access your phone, having troubles when turning off the phone, unexplained expenses on your phone bill, and an abuser has specific data on you.

Other suggestions from the FTC include checking to see whether your device has got jailbroken, you can reach out to domestic violence advocates as well as law enforcement, and you can either buy a new phone or reset your current phone.

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