Google has pulled down 7 apps from the Playstore after allegations they allowed users to stalk unsuspecting victims. That doesn’t mean they are deleted from your Android devices, though so now can be a great time to remove them.
Security company Avast was responsible for highlighting these stalkerware apps to Google, the company says the apps could have been used to follow employees, Children, family members without their permission.
If you’re unfamiliar with the phrase, “stalkerware” involves giving third party access to another user’s device, location data, and other sensitive information. These apps often present themselves as “normal” tracking tools—for employee activity on company phones or your children’s whereabouts, but they can also be used to spy on romantic partners, friends, or roommates.
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These apps run afoul of Google’s policies for apps distributed via Google Play: “Surveillance and Commercial Spyware apps are explicitly prohibited on Google Play. Only policy-compliant apps exclusively designed and marketed for parental (including family) monitoring or enterprise management may distribute on the Store with tracking and reporting features, provided they fully comply with the requirements described below.”
As part of these requirements, tracking apps must clearly show that they’re active and cannot mislead users about their purpose. In other words, apps that try to hide on a user’s device and send their location data to someone else are a no-go.
Here is the list of the Android apps that you should delete from your phone
- Employee Work Spy
- Mobile Tracking
- Phone Cell Tracker
- SMS Tracker
- Spy Kids Tracker
- Spy Tracker
- Track Employees Check Work Phone Online Spy Free
