Skip to main content

Stalking apps: Google deletes 7 Android trackers from the Play Store

While there are already a bunch of legitimate apps and services that can let you know the whereabouts of family or friends, there are also a few sinister variations that let abusive types spy on partners, among others.

Antivirus firm Avast revealed on Wednesday that its researchers recently uncovered seven so-called “stalkerware” apps on the Google Play Store, all of which have now been removed by the web giant.

Recommended Videos

Collectively, the apps had been downloaded 130,000 times, suggesting plenty of people may still be using them. Spy Tracker and SMS Tracker were the most popular, reaching a combined total of 50,000 downloads.

In a blog post describing its findings, Avast’s Jeff Elder wrote that the apps are most likely used by people keen to stalk a partner, family members, or employees without them knowing.

To use such an app, the snoop must first gain access to the target device so that they can install the spy software.

The software can operate without the phone user’s knowledge, as there’s no app icon left on the handset or any other indication that the device is being tracked. This is because the initial download — onto the target device — directs the snoop to another site to install the actual stalkerware. Once the download is complete, the snoop is prompted to delete the initial installation, which includes the app icon.

And it’s not just the phone’s location that the snoop can track. The apps also give access to a handset’s contact list, as well as its SMS and call history.

Commenting on the discoveries, Nikolaos Chrysaidos, Avast’s head of mobile threat intelligence and security, said: “These apps are highly unethical and problematic for people’s privacy and shouldn’t be on the Google Play Store,” adding, “They promote criminal behavior, and can be abused by employers, stalkers, or abusive partners to spy on their victims.”

Google has a team dedicated to keeping malicious apps out of the Play Store. Earlier this year, Google Play product manager Andrew Ahn said the company is working on enhancing its abuse detection technologies and machine learning systems, and also expanding its team of product managers, engineers, policy experts, and operations leaders tasked with keeping dodgy apps out of its Android store.

But the endless uploading of such software can make it a challenging job at times. In 2017, Google revealed it deleted a staggering 700,000 malicious apps from its online store, with 100,000 developers banned from submitting new software in the future.

We’ve reached out to Google to find out more about its latest efforts to purge the Play Store of stalkerware apps and will update if we hear back.

If you’re concerned about the safety of apps you’re downloading from the Play Store, we suggest you stick with well-known brands, or hit the web to search for reviews of the app you’re interested in to confirm its validity.

For some new ideas on Android apps for your smartphone, you might also want to check out Digital Trends’ carefully curated list.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Now Playing is the best Google Pixel 9 feature you aren’t using
The Google Pixel 9 standing upright next to an Android statue.

The Google Pixel 9 is here, and if you haven't heard yet, it's excellent. Google did almost everything right this year — releasing phones with gorgeous hardware, excellent cameras, great battery life, and more.

All Pixel 9 phones also come with a host of new AI features. Some of them, like Add Me and Pixel Screenshots, are legitimately great. Others, like Pixel Studio, could have used more time in the oven.

Read more
Gemini has killed Google Assistant to become the AI future of Android
Gemini running on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Artificial intelligence is spreading its ample wings throughout the Android operating system, right down to Google's decision to rebuild the assistant experience entirely to integrate it inside Android. It means Google Assistant has gone the way of the dinosaur, relegated to the history books as it’s replaced by the next big thing: Google Gemini. What better way to introduce the changes than letting Gemini tell you itself.

“Gemini, Google AI's latest innovation, is set to redefine the Android user experience. By deeply integrating Gemini into Android's core, users can now interact with the AI more naturally, getting assistance with tasks and information retrieval directly within apps. Gemini can even generate images and summarize calls or organize screenshots, all while prioritizing user privacy with on-device processing capabilities.

Read more
4 ways Google is making Android more accessible to everyone
Updates to Android accessibility features as of August 2024.

While most of the attention will inevitably be focused on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro today, Google also made some interesting announcements around accessibility in Android at its Made by Google event. Also, likely to the surprise of nobody at all, they include some AI. Here are the four ways Google is improving accessibility in Android.
Magnifier

Originally released in 2023, Magnifier is a very helpful app that only works on Pixel phones. It uses the camera to help people zoom in on the world around them to make reading signs, menus, and other visual guides easier. By integrating AI into Magnifier, it now has a visual search using keywords so you can find relevant terms quickly. Plus, a picture-in-picture view gives you both an overview of what you’re looking at, along with any zoomed-in area.

Read more