Women’s charities are concerned by new research that shows a rise in the use of so-called ‘stalkerware’.
The surveillance software allows someone complete access to a victim’s phone showing private messages, GPS location and even giving someone the ability to see and hear through cameras and microphones.
The technology is openly sold online as ‘parental or employee monitoring’ kits, and use of it has risen by at least 37% in the last year.
The BBC’s cyber-security reporter Joe Tidy let a colleague spy on his phone for two days to show how easy it is.