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Spy apps are apps that can be installed on a phone and used to monitor online activity, communications, and other cell phone usage. They’re different from spyware because they are installed legitimately, usually with physical access to a phone, and are used to identify infidelity, protect children’s online activity, and can be used to locate the phone’s owner if they go missing or are in trouble.
There are a lot of spy apps available, from basic GPS trackers to keyloggers, and choosing the best one for you will depend on your needs and requirements.
There are paid and free spy apps. Some work with Android, some with iPhone, and some with any device. There are those that monitor GPS location as well as apps that can monitor online activity and calls, and even keyloggers that effectively track everything the phone owner does.
Choosing the best means identifying what you will be using the app for. According to tech writer Anwesha Roy, some apps can even be used to control the phone, which can be useful if you want to navigate a child away from potentially harmful websites they might be visiting, for example.
A business phone is a business tool. While your device usage policy might allow some personal use, it should have stipulations about what the phone can and cannot be used for outside work use. With a spy app, it is possible to monitor what apps are installed and uninstalled, what sites the phone owner uses, and their online activity.
To monitor all of this, you will need a full-featured spy app or even a keylogger, and you will need to inform the handset user that the app is installed and being monitored.
The Internet and mobile devices offer a lot of benefits. They improve communication, can be used for research and study, and they are great mobile gaming devices. But, with these benefits come a lot of potential pitfalls. Letting your son or daughter have a cell phone is a big decision and it represents a big moment in their life: maybe not quite a transition from childhood to adulthood, but a greater level of trust.
Using a spy app means you can monitor your child’s online activity to ensure they are safe and aren’t accessing inappropriate sites.
There are lots of reasons you might need to locate a phone’s owner. Parents can always benefit from being able to find their child. You can also use GPS tracking if your partner works late, visits rough areas, or even if they go out hiking in remote locations. GPS trackers are common on phones, with free apps like Apple’s Find My.
Different types of apps can be used to track or monitor different types of information.
Location tracking apps use GPS to determine the location of a phone, rather than the individual that owns the phone. The tracker in a phone uses trilateration, which means it determines and records its distance from three different satellites and uses this information to give an accurate representation of its whereabouts. It is the same technology used by maps and navigational systems, and it can prove to be a lifesaver.
Factors like tall buildings and atmospheric conditions can affect the reliability of GPS tracking, but it is generally considered accurate to within 10 to 40 feet.
If you’re worried about who the phone owner is calling or messaging, you will need a tracker that monitors messages and phone calls. Even if the owner attempts to hide the information from you, for example by deleting messages, a tracker will record the details so you can still access them anyway.
Some apps even allow you to set up keywords, names, or other triggers. When these are set off, you will receive an urgent update, enabling you to take swift action and prevent a potentially dangerous situation.
WhatsApp, SnapChat, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger, are methods of communication that do not rely on the traditional use of cell communication, and they are especially common for people having affairs as well as children communicating with people they’ve met online. You can monitor some social media activity of other people, through public posts, but if you need to be able to monitor private chats and DMs, you will need a spy app that offers this feature.
A good spy app will cover all of the most common social websites and it will record messages and conversations before they are deleted or before they disappear, in the case of timed messages.
The Internet really has opened up a world of legitimate opportunities for cell phone users. From checking the latest news updates to crypto gambling and even media streaming, a cell phone can be used for it all. While most of this is legitimate and perfectly acceptable use, some of it is less safe.
Whether you’re monitoring employees to ensure they are working while on call, or you want to ensure your children aren’t accessing potentially unsafe websites, monitoring Internet activity is a beneficial use of spy apps. They can identify the websites the phone user visits, how long they spend there, and how frequently they visit certain types of websites.
Keyloggers enable you to monitor everything about a user’s activity from the websites they visit to the messages sent and apps installed. A log of all activity is provided.
Keyloggers can also be used to identify usernames and passwords for websites and online accounts, so these apps should only be used with the express permission of the phone owner. They can be useful if you’re worried about your child’s activities or if you are handing out work phones that are to be used solely for work purposes.
