Smartphone Surveillance: Tips to Detect if Your Device is Being Tracked

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1. Smartphone Surveillance: Tips to Detect if Your Device is Being Tracked

Check out this free app below to see if any suspicious apps are silently tracking and stealing your information on your smartphone.

1. Smartphone Surveillance: Tips to Detect if Your Device is Being Tracked

Check out this free app below to see if any suspicious apps are silently tracking and stealing your information on your smartphone.

Android devices are prime targets for hackers, with malicious and espionage apps often targeting this mobile platform. So, how can you identify and check if your Android smartphone is being tracked?
In this case, you can rely on the assistance of an app called Privacy Advisor. This free app scans all installed apps on your smartphone, filters out suspicious ones that are spy apps installed on the system, allowing users to easily remove these suspicious apps.
The app is only available for Android, you can find and download it from the app store or download it directly here (compatible with Android 6.0 and above).
On the interface that appears during the first run of the app, you click on the option “Confirm that you are 16 years old or older”, then click the “Accept and continue” button to agree to the app's terms of use and continue.

Privacy Advisor has a completely Vietnamese interface, making it very easy and convenient to use. You click the “Start” button on the main interface of the app, Privacy Advisor will automatically scan all installed apps on your smartphone, then categorize those apps into suspicious app groups and “clean” apps.

Identifying suspicious apps (displayed in red in Privacy Advisor's scan results) are those that demand critical and sensitive permissions on your smartphone, such as camera usage, microphone access, message sending, call making, or accessing contacts…
You can tap on each app in the search results filtered by Privacy Advisor to know what permissions and functionalities each app is requesting on your smartphone. Tap on the “Tap for more info” button for Privacy Advisor to specify the permissions and sensitive data that the app may access on your smartphone.

Based on the list of suspicious apps, if you notice an app that you rarely use or is relatively unknown, or an app that requests too many unnecessary permissions (such as a photo editing app requesting messaging or calling permissions)… then you should uninstall these suspicious apps to prevent them from potentially stealing your personal information.
As for popular apps that you regularly use on your smartphone, if they get filtered into the “suspicious apps” list by Privacy Advisor, you don't need to worry too much because some apps require necessary permissions for their functionalities to work. For example, with the Facebook Messenger app, requesting calling or messaging permissions is completely normal.
To quickly uninstall a suspicious app on your smartphone, from the Privacy Advisor interface, you just need to tap on that app and then tap on the trash icon. You can also mark and select multiple apps and then tap on the trash icon below to uninstall the selected apps in bulk.
With the assistance of Privacy Advisor, you can not only detect suspicious apps and spy apps existing on your smartphone but also filter out seldom-used apps to uninstall them from your device, helping to save storage space on your smartphone.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What steps should I follow to check if my smartphone is being tracked?

To check if your smartphone is being tracked, download the Privacy Advisor app from the app store. After installation, confirm you are 16 years old or older and accept the terms. Click 'Start' to scan installed apps. The app will categorize apps into 'suspicious' and 'clean' groups. Review any suspicious apps, especially those requesting critical permissions, and consider uninstalling any that seem unnecessary.

How does the Privacy Advisor app help in identifying suspicious applications?

The Privacy Advisor app scans your smartphone for installed applications and identifies those that request critical and sensitive permissions. Apps that require excessive permissions, such as camera or microphone access, are flagged as suspicious. This allows users to easily review, understand the permissions, and uninstall apps that may be potentially harmful.

Is it safe to ignore apps categorized as suspicious by Privacy Advisor?

No, it is not safe to ignore apps categorized as suspicious by Privacy Advisor. While some popular apps may require necessary permissions, you should carefully evaluate any app that requests more permissions than expected. If you find an app you rarely use or that requests unnecessary permissions, it is advisable to uninstall it to protect your personal information.

Can I uninstall multiple suspicious apps at once using Privacy Advisor?

Yes, you can uninstall multiple suspicious apps at once using the Privacy Advisor app. Simply tap on each app you wish to remove, then tap the trash icon to delete them in bulk. This feature helps streamline the process of cleaning up your smartphone and ensuring your privacy.

What should I do if Privacy Advisor flags a well-known app as suspicious?

If Privacy Advisor flags a well-known app as suspicious, first assess the permissions it requests. Popular apps often require specific permissions for their functionality. If the permissions seem appropriate for the app's purpose, you may not need to worry. However, if you have concerns about its behavior or permissions, consider uninstalling it.