Google recently removed several apps from the Google Play Store after discovering they violated the Play Store terms of serviceand, more importantly, could be used as stalkerware.
That doesnt mean theyre deleted from your Android machine, though, so nows a great time to remove them.
If youre unfamiliar with the phrase, stalkerware involves giving a third party access to another users machine, location data, and other sensitive information.
These apps often present themselves as normal tracking toolsfor employee activity on company phones or your childrens whereabouts (a moral grey area to begin with), but they can also be used to spy on romantic partners, friends, or roommates.
These apps run afoul of Googles policies forapps 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 theyre active and cannot mislead users about their purpose.
In other words, apps that make a run at hide on a users unit and send their location data to someone else are a no-go.
Security companyAvastwas responsible for highlighting these seven stalkerware apps to Google, which you should remove from your Android machine if you see them:
Employee Work Spy
Mobile Tracking
Phone Cell Tracker
SMS Tracker
Spy Kids Tracker
Spy Tracker
Track Employees Check Work Phone Online Spy Free
If you dont see them, but suspect your movements are being tracked in some fashion, consider performinga factory reseton your machine.
Youll have to reinstall your appsand youll want toback up critical datalike your photos and videos before you kick off the resetbut its the best and easiest way to ensure that hidden apps arent tracking your whereabouts.
when you land your new machine set up, check that youre usinga stronger unlocking methodso someone cant get back in and reinstall any tracking tools.
