They most importantly, could be used as stalkerware and give others access to information concerning you such as your location.
They portray themselves as 'normal' tracking tools for employee activities on company phones or your children's whereabouts, but can also be used to spy on your friends, partners and relatives.
These mobile applications do not comply with the Google Play Store policies, and according to the reports,
'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 a part of these requirements, tracking apps must clearly show that they are active and cannot mislead their users concerning their purpose.
In other words, hiding on a user's device while sending data concerning their location to someone else is a no-no. Security company, Avast was responsible for highlighting these seven apps to Google.
They include:
• Employee Work Spy
• Mobile Tracking
• Phone Cell Tracker
• SMS Tracker
• Spy Kids Tracker
• Spy Tracker
• Track Employees Check Work Phone Online Spy Free
According to Lifehacker.com, if you don't see them on your device but suspect that you are being tracked, you should consider performing a factory reset.
It will only take a reinstallation of your apps, and don't forget to back up critical data like your photos and videos. After that, install stronger unlocking method on your phone so no one else can get back in and install any tracking tools on your devices.
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