If you are concerned that someone might be trying to track you through your phone, then you should be aware that they might be getting help from the ad policies of the internet giant. stalkerware companies are able to get around the tech giant's ad restrictions by showing up with a simple search for products to keep track of a partner's phone or text messages. According to the policies for stalking apps that were last updated in August of 2022, they are not allowed to advertise in search results. The policy does not apply to apps that help parents track children. A simple search for phrases like "app to see spouse's text messages" or "see who your girlfriend is texting" brings up multiple ads for products. Even if the websites claim they are meant to be used by parents to keep track of their children, the ads for certain products make it clear they are useful for monitoring other people's phones. Next-Level Sound can be experienced. Theater-like sound surrounds you with spatial audio with dynamic head tracking.
Representatives for mSpy didn't respond to a request for comment about their advertising policies.
The problem with the advertising policies of the most popular search engine is nothing new. Several companies blatantly sell partner tracking software in search ads, wrote a mobile security company in a post last year. There were problematic ads in that report.
Jan Penfrat, the senior policy advisor at European Digital Rights, told MIT Tech Review that the tech giant's ad screening is done via outdated algorithms where research has shown over.
A simple search shows that there are still many stalkerware ads at the top of the results, despite the fact that offending ads have been removed.
Those that say they are meant to monitor children by their parents also offer advice and tools for breaking into phones. Advice used to hack into a child's phone can be used to hack into a partner's phone or a stranger's phone. A guide for hacking into someone else's phone is included in the tracking app Xnspy.
According to the Stalking Prevention Awareness and Resource Center, 1 in 3 women have experienced stalking in their lifetimes. According to the Department of Justice, more than twice as many victims are stalked with technology than without.
In response to a request for comment, a person from the company said that they don't allow ads that promote spyware. We have reviewed the ads in question and are removing those that violate our policy.
It's not just stalkerware that's easy to get around. Gizmodo reported this week that the FDA-approved stem cell products would be allowed to advertise in search results. This is despite the fact that ads for gene therapy and other skeevy treatments were appearing as ads on top of search results, despite the current rules banning stem cell advertising.
The rest of the tech industry needs to step up to squeeze out the influence of the stalkerware industry, despite the U.S. Federal Trade Commission putting some pressure on them. It's obvious that Google needs to do more.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
