By their very nature, mobile spy apps do affect Instagram privacy. These apps, which are sometimes referred to as ‘surveillance apps’, allow one mobile phone user to ‘spy’ on another mobile phone user. While this may seem unethical, there are legitimate reasons for using mobile phone surveillance tools.
One of the main reasons is to check that children are staying safe online. They can be used to ensure that kids stay clear of inappropriate content and online predators. From a parent’s point of view, spy apps provide unparalleled peace of mind and guarantee cybersecurity on social networks.
But, how do these mobile spy apps impact the privacy of the accounts involved? Let’s find out!
How Do Mobile Spy Apps Work?
To start off, it’s important that we first understand how mobile spy apps work. You cannot download a spy app on only your device. The spy app needs to be set up on both devices.
Once you’ve selected which spy app you’d like to use, you need to download it on both your own phone as well as the target phone.
Start by downloading the spy app on your phone. During the download and sign-up process, you’ll be prompted to describe the type of phone you wish to spy on.
Normally, once you’ve completed the sign-up process, the spy app will then provide you with a link. You can then paste this link into the target device’s web browser. This link will take you to a page where you can download the spy app onto the target device.
Alternatively, you may have to download the spy app from the Apple or Play Store on both devices. This depends entirely on the type of spy app you’re downloading as well as the devices involved.
Once you’ve set up the spy app on both devices, you’ll be able to access the control panel on your phone. From this control panel, you’ll be able to review messages, group chats, media, and the GPS location of your child.
It’s not possible to use a spy app without physically setting up the ‘target device’ version of the app on your child’s phone. Once set up, these apps can help certain groups of people significantly.
At techreport.com, Aleksandar Stevanovic has highlighted that spy apps allow parents to review group chats, direct messages, shared media, and Instagram activity. So, they obviously hold a lot of benefits.
Stealth Mode
Once the spy app has been set up and is connected between the two phones, it is possible to hide the app icon from the target device. This way, the phone will appear just as normal to the target phone user. It is a good idea if you want to keep the practice hidden from your child.
This allows you to spy on your child’s phone privately, without them ever having to know.
How Do Spy Apps Impact the Privacy of the Target Phone?
Surveillance apps do impact the privacy of the target phone to a certain extent. Obviously, as soon as a remote phone can review the contents of the target phone, it can no longer be classed as ‘private’. Even if the social media accounts – i.e., Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc. – are on ‘private’ mode.
Sophisticated surveillance apps will still receive notifications regarding messages and account activity even when the child’s Instagram is set to private.
However, this information will only be passed between the target and the spying phone. The child’s Instagram account will remain private to the rest of the world. It ensures their safety from online predators and other malicious account holders.
Some people wrongly think that spying apps open up the contents of an account to the rest of the world. But, this is not true. When used responsibly, spying apps allow you to both monitor and protect the contents of the target phone. It does not make the target phone anymore susceptible to predators, cyberattacks, or any other form of digital threat.
How Do Spy Apps Impact the Privacy of the Spying Phone?
Surveillance apps are a one-way street. Only the phone with the control panel can spy on the target phone, not the other way around. So, spy apps do not impact the privacy of the phone doing the spying whatsoever.
As long as you’ve set up the apps correctly, there should be no privacy risk in using a surveillance app.
Why Use a Mobile Spy App
So, given that mobile spy apps pose no privacy risk to either of the involved parties, you should consider using a spy app for the following reasons:
- Safeguard family members – Children are at risk of falling victim to online predators, no matter how many parental locks you put on their devices.
Mobile spy apps allow you to monitor everyone they interact with. You can ensure they’re only talking to their friends or family. Given that one in five children are contacted by predators, this is very important.
- Remove sensitive content – The internet is a big place, and Google’s SafeSearch doesn’t always block out explicit and otherwise inappropriate content. By monitoring how your child surfs the web, you can remove them from inappropriate websites.
- Controlling screen time – Sometimes setting screen time limits isn’t enough to establish healthy electronic device habits. With surveillance apps, you can ensure that your children are balancing fun with education when on their devices, and not spending the entirety of their screen time on social media.
- Location detection – Spy apps also provide you with GPS tracking, which allows you to know the whereabouts of your child at all times. Location remains one of the main activities that parents monitor, with over 40% of parents monitoring location with their child’s knowledge.
Final Thoughts
Spy apps affect Instagram privacy in the sense that parents can look at their child’s Instagram posts, messages, and interactions – meaning these aspects are no longer private to them.
However, this is purposeful, as it allows parents to keep tabs on their children and ensures that they remain safe online. Plus, the child’s Instagram account remains private to the rest of the world – only the target and parent device can see the content.
