Tool for stealth recording of SMS sessions: useful tool or intrusive?
by Russell Shaw
Yesterday on my BlackBerry Beat blog over at ZDNet, I posted an entry about a utility that can silently and stealthily record all your SMS messages.
First, let me relate the relevant parts of this post. After that, I will ask you a couple of questions.
Here’s the germane section of my post:
Vervata Co. Ltd. has just released new BlackBerry versions of its FlexiSPY mobile phone spy software.
The FlexiSPY software, runs invisibly in the background on the device, can only be accessed using a secret code, is available in two versions, PRO (around $199 U.S. for a year’s subscription) and LIGHT (around $132 U.S. per year).
Here’s the secret sauce:
FlexiSPY LIGHT silently records all SMS messages, call logs, emails and the device location. It then uploads this information via GPRS to a secure server for viewing and analysis. Curious- or probably more often- suspicious- minds log on to their secure web accounts to access a log of all phone activity as recorded by FlexiSPY.
FlexiSPY PRO enables all that and more- plus the ability to secretly switch the BlackBerry’s microphone on from any other phone. That way you can listen to your target’s surroundings in real time as well.
I should point out there are versions of FlexiSPY for most other cellphones as well.
Now, readers, I’d love to start some discussion on whether FlexiSPY is a useful recording tool, a facilitator for intrusive, privacy-violating practices, a potentially productive monitoring actualizer to check up on SMS messages sent by children, teenagers, spouses oremployees who may be engaging in susceptible behavior.
My take- some or all of the above, depending on the situation.
