Think it couldn’t happen to you?

A 2021 report by global cybersecurity company Kaspersky found that, of 21 000 respondents in 21 countries, 30% found it acceptable to monitor their partner without their consent under specific circumstances. They also calculated that 318 users in South Africa had found out they had stalkerware programmes on their phones.

My own informal vox pop found that 27% of respondents would install a location-tracking app on their partner’s phone if they felt justified (for example, their partner was hiding something, or they suspected their partner was cheating).

The true scale of the problem is not yet known, but perhaps the more urgent question is: how can we protect ourselves?

A new Cybercrimes Act was passed in 2021, making it possible to prosecute the ‘illegal interception of data’. It is untested, however, and it remains to be seen how effectively it will be enforced.

Alas, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Advice for those who simply suspect there may be stalkerware on their phone, but who are not in an abusive relationship or fearful for their personal safety, will differ from advice for those who may be at risk of retaliation from an intimate partner in the event that stalkerware were removed.

HERE ARE A FEW POINTERS FOR THE FORMER:

• According to PC Magazine, resetting your phone to its factory settings should remove any undetected stalkerware. Back up any important data before doing so or you may lose it. It’s safest to reinstall apps manually thereafter, or you may accidentally reinstall the spyware.

• To find out which free apps you can download to detect stalkerware on your device, visit the Coalition Against Stalkerware’s website (stopstalkerware.org).

• If you do find stalkerware on your phone, take screenshots or collect any evidence you can before resetting your phone, in the event that you wish to press charges.

• Although stalkerware can be difficult to detect, even for experts, signs could include a battery that runs down faster than usual; your phone runs out of space or data sooner than expected, your phone switches on and off; or your location services arrow is on all the time.

• In general, Android smartphones seem to be more vulnerable to stalkerware than Apple iPhones.

• Buy a new phone, and do not reinstall any back-up data. This is the surest way to get rid of stalkerware on your phone.

IF YOU ARE AFRAID YOUR PARTNER OR STALKER MIGHT RETALIATE:

• Do not remove or give any indication that you wish to remove the stalkerware before first considering your own safety. Create a safety plan with a safety advocate (see ‘Organisations that assist victims of stalking’), and make contact with them through channels other than your personal devices so as not to alert your stalker. Only remove stalkerware once you are sure it is safe to do so.

• If you wish to take legal action, seek help from the police to find out how to collect evidence before you remove the stalkerware.

• Visit the Coalition Against Stalkerware website – from a safe device – for further information: stopstalkerware.org ❖

Location tracking should never serve as a substitute for trust.