The dawn of Google Play Store has enormously increased the number of apps being released per annum. This wide and ceaseless release of apps has led to the increase in the number of spy apps, as well as that are being manufactured and flooding the market as we speak. These apps are frequently used by people to keep tabs on anyone and everyone without letting them know. Each of these apps has a unique feature that others lack to provide. However there are some basic functions that each spy app must have. Some of these are as follows
Features
A spy app is generally used to provide complete surveillance of the target device in real time without letting the target user know. These apps require one time physical access to the target device after which you can spy the target Android remotely. Given below is a glimpse of the basic features they offer.
- Listening to the calls
- Monitoring WhatsApp, Facebook, Viber, Line and Skype Logs
- Keeping tabs on text messages sent and received on the target device
- Saving photos and videos present on target device even if they are being deleted
- Tracking exact location of the target device through GPS
- Saving the browsing history on target device
Some individuals who use spy apps and are benefiting from its vast ranges are:
- Parents/Guardians:
Parents or guardians use it to ensure that their children aren’t heading off in the wrong direction, and not getting abused by the social bullies on the internet. According to a survey, almost 40% of all spy apps users are parents who are worried about the safety of their kids. Spy apps act as a blessing for all these parents as they give them the peace of mind that their kids are safe. The location tracking feature of these apps keeps parents aware of their kids’ whereabouts.
- Employers:
An estimated 15-20% of the total spy app users are Employers, who use it to verify that their employees are working diligently. Other than that, they have to make sure that the employee isn’t leaking out sensitive information which could prove to be devastating for their business. Spy apps also help employers in monitoring their mobile workforce by keeping tabs on their location details. These awesomely powerful apps are believed to increase the employee productivity which in turn increases company profits.
- Spouses:
Spouses use it to make sure that their other half isn’t meeting someone else during the time they aren’t present at home. Moreover, they also need to check that their other half isn’t using any online dating sites like Tinder, etc.
Limitations
The Android OS is well protected against spy apps like TheOneSpy, mSpy, etc. Hence, if we are to use these the Android device must be rooted. Rooting is the Android version of “Jail Breaking”. Rooting is the process of allowing users of smartphones and other devices running the Android OS to attain root access over various Android systems. Rooting is a technical process which is sometimes hard to carry out perfectly. If the process is not done carefully, it could result in you owning a dead device. Another problem could be the fact that we have to install the spy app manually on the target device, which means that we have to gain access to the target device before actually using the app.
Legalities
The legal use of spy apps can’t really be determined by our opinions or some another individuals’ opinion. However the laws for the use of spy apps can change from country to country, even the laws for spy apps in one state of the U.S could be completely different from some other state. Generally spy apps are legal for the following circumstances:
- To monitor your children or spouses’ cell phone
- To monitor your employees during work hours or through a company issued cell phone
If a spy app is used for purposes other than the ones mentioned above, the individual may be breaking federal law based on the laws the state imposes. In these circumstances, the victim has the right to file a lawsuit against the individual spying on him/her.