A third of people don’t mind secretly monitoring their partner, says study
A simple search of the phrase ‘monitoring your partner’ on Google brings up 420,000 results in a span of 0.40 seconds.
Among them are links on how to spy on a partner’s phone, remotely monitor calls and SMS, questions on acceptability of spying on a partner out of lack of trust, and spy gear that details the type of technology a partner can use to spy on their significant other.
Other results detail the best free apps to spy on a partner, with one asking for help after suspecting that their partner is monitoring their computer or cell phone activity, which shows the rising concern of trust issues in intimate relationships.
And now, a new research on stalker ware, conducted by Kasperksy has established that 30 per cent of people find it acceptable to secretly monitor their partner. The study stemmed from a global survey of more than 21,000 participants in 21 countries that sought to find out about their attitudes towards privacy and digital stalking in intimate relationships.
The interviews were conducted online by Sapio Research in September 2021 using an email invitation and an online survey.
“While 70 per cent of the respondents do not believe it is acceptable to monitor their partner without consent, 30 per cent see no problem at all and find it acceptable under some circumstances. Of those who think certain reasons justify secret surveillance, almost two thirds (64 per cent) would do so if they believed their partner was being unfaithful; if it was related to their safety (63 per cent), or if they believed them to be involved in criminal activity (50 per cent),” said the study.
Abusive relationships
The highest agreement level on monitoring, noted the study, came from respondents in the Asia-Pacific region, who accounted for 24 per cent. Respondents in Europe and America accounted for 10 and eight per cent respectively.
Even then, there are situations when people, most of them in abusive relationships, have been forced by their partners to install a monitoring app. The younger people aged 18-34, are much more likely to have received such a demand from their partner than elderly counterparts aged 35 and above.
Seeking to also discover how stalkerware can be used to shed more light on domestic violence, researchers aimed to find out the degree of willingness by people to monitor their partners, and to uncover the types of data that is readily shared or kept secret. They also sought to uncover the number of stalkerware victims and devices commonly used by abusers to monitor victims.
While addressing what kind of information people willingly share with their partners, they noted that privacy is a complex issue because people have unique boundaries regarding the information they are willing to disclose to their partner or allow them to have access to.
Those in healthy relationships, for example, said they have either shared their phone password with their partners or know their partner’s phone password. However, they understood that the password can be updated if the partner changed their mind, or the partner could withhold the device to prevent them from accessing information.
Stability and vulnerability
“Stalkerware thrives specifically under circumstances where there is a disparity between the level of access to information that one partner wants, and what the other wishes to disclose,” it noted. “Younger people are vastly more vulnerable to its ill effects.”
The researchers documented that the manner in which people who are suspected or confirmed being stalked react depends heavily on a victim’s stability and vulnerability, availability of support networks and cultural attitudes towards abuse and behaviour within relationships.
They state: “More than half of the respondents would investigate if they found a monitoring app on their device and confront the person who installed it, while others would confront their partner if a monitoring app was installed on their phone without their consent. Those who wouldn’t confront their partner if they found a monitoring app on their smartphone said it is because they think that discussing the situation wouldn’t help and that they’d have no way to prove their partner was responsible. Some would prefer another exit strategy.”
Dr Berta Vall Castelló, research & development manager, European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence (WWP EN), explained that the reasons are concerning and indicate an unhealthy relationship that borders on abuse.
“If one partner feels unable to discuss something that crosses a personal boundary with their significant other, it is likely they are fearful of the consequences of doing so. Even if they feel discussing it would make no difference, their relationship is clearly not one where their autonomy and preferences are valued. Preferring a different exit strategy is a recommended reaction, and very sensible where someone fears for their safety,” he said.
He added that there is a concern that standing up to a partner in this situation will only escalate the risk that a stalkerware victim faces.
“It is dangerous to justify exerting any sort of control over a partner in the light of suspected infidelity. Preventive campaigns addressing the issues of coercive control, jealousy and infidelity would be a valuable tool against these attitudes,” said Dr Castelló.
Data shows that phone apps were the most used technology used in stalking at 50 per cent, followed closely by tracking devices (29 per cent), laptop apps (27 per cent) and access to webcam (22 per cent). Smart home devices were rated at 18 per cent, health devices at 14 per cent, and others at seven per cent.
Ms Karen Bentley, CEO of Wesnet and a technology safety expert, said that when stalker ware is used as part of domestic abuse or intimate partner violence it can indicate that the abuser is very controlling.
Violence
“It could also be a sign that violence may get worse. I really urge anyone who is experiencing stalking — either in real life or through stalker ware — and who feels it would be unsafe or dangerous to confront their abuser, to reach out to a domestic abuse organisation to get advice and support,” she advised.
So how can you know that your device is being monitored?
Researchers say you should be on guard if your mobile data or battery runs out quicker than expected. This means there are apps in your device consuming your phone’s resources. Device owners should also find out the apps that have access to their device locations by checking their phone’s accessibility status.
To ensure you do not become a victim of stalkerware, Kaspersky recommends that users protect their phones and accounts with a strong password and never share it with partners, friends, or colleagues.
Download apps only from official sources such as Google Play or the App Store, install a reliable security solution immediately, and scan the device regularly. However, this should only be done after the potential risk to the victim has been assessed as the perpetrator may notice the use of a cyber-security solution, and even escalate their abusive behaviours in response.
Kaspersky also recommends that users be wary of deleting spyware in their phones, since it can erase evidence that might be needed later. Most importantly, users are asked to take protective measures first.
“If you’re being tracked by a potentially violent partner, before doing anything with the stalkerware app, contact a help centre for victims of domestic abuse. In some cases, it’s easier to replace your smartphone altogether and then make sure that no one can install spying apps on the new device,” advises the security company. BY DAILY NATION
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