The FTC prohibits a stalkerware application

The American agency ensuring the application of consumer law and controlling anti -competitive business practices, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), prohibits the Spyfone application to work in the surveillance sector.This order dated September 1 also concerns the CEO of support King, the company developing Spyfone, Scott Zuckerman.It is accompanied by an obligation to delete all of the data collected in an illegal manner."This is the second case that the FTC started against an application of" Stalkerware ", and the first where the FTC obtains a ban," said the FTC press release.Stalkerware applications are criticized for their use for cyberbullying purposes, especially in the case of spouse spy.

Spyfone has collected and shared data "thanks to a hidden spy system"

The FTC points out that the application gives "real -time access" to the data of the targeted smartphones.Practice whose application is not hidden.“The Spyfone application can be used in many ways to help you monitor your children and your family [...] Spy Phone App follows GPS, contacts and applications installed on the phone, ”says Spyfone website.The application does not prevent the supervised person and leaves this charge to the person establishing surveillance: "You can only install the application on your own device or if you have obtained authorization from the telephone owner to install the application»».

Practices that probably are not suitable for the American agency which detects spy software: "The company developing the application used for surveillance has secretly collected and shared geolocation, use and online activity datathanks to a hidden spy device, ”accused the FTC press release.The agency says Spyfone has circumvented several restrictions on Android phones.In addition, the FTC accuses Spyfone of indicating to its users how to hide the application to the target of surveillance.

According to the agency, the architecture of the King Support Application provides changes that can cancel the smartphone warranty and expose it to other security risks.In addition, Spyfone does not present basic security measures which, in fact, increases cybermenaces.In 2018, the data of 2,200 users were hacked and Spyfone only made the promise to work with a cybersecurity company, but it remained at the stage of the commitment.

"This case reminds us that surveillance companies are a significant threat to our security.We will be aggressive to obtain new prohibitions for surveillance devices when companies and their managers undermine privacy, "said the director of the Consumer Protection Office of the FTC Samuel Levine in the press release.