evacide

When I give a talk about stalkerware, two things usually happen:

One person (usually a woman) walks up to me and tells me about the stalkerware/keylogger/physical tracker a partner used to stalk them.

Another person (usually a man) tells that they didn't know about this stuff and they can't even imagine the sort of person that would use it.

Jul 26, 2023 at 2:51amWeb
Show threadSpike Jul 26, 2023
@evacide I'm starting to think that "personal online safety" needs to be a class taught in K-12, updated every couple of years.
Show threadfrandroid 🏴‍☠️ jin jiyan azadîJul 26, 2023
@spike @evacide bUt tHeY'lL mAkE uS dRoP a mAtH cLaSs
Show threadSpike Jul 26, 2023

@frandroid @evacide Maybe they should teach this *in* math class.

Statistics about the number of people who get surveilled by someone close to them.

Statistics of people who are harmed by abusers and what percentage of those abuse cases involve cyberstalking and physical-stalking

Show threadNatanox 🇺🇦🇵🇸Jul 26, 2023
@spike @evacide For that you'd have to teach computer basics first given many people can't even grasp the concept of a file anymore (especially people who solely used mobile devices, and even more specifically those from Apple). For them computers and the internet are a magic box.
Show threadSpike Jul 26, 2023
@Natanox @evacide absolutely correct. We have a significant deficit in instruction about basic technology, which should probably also be a part of a standard curriculum. I've been writing and speaking about privacy and security issues like this since 1999. If we don't try to do something radically different, we're going to be going around these same problems for decades more.
Show threadI am Jack's Lost 404Jul 26, 2023

@spike @evacide

Some people are genuinely shocked to find out that you can use a fake name on the internet.

Like they've been trained since birth that $realname social media is totally normal and okay

Show threadSpike Jul 26, 2023
@float13 @evacide ​ and like many other things, people need to be taught about risks online. We aren't born knowing to look both ways before crossing the street, either.
Show threadPhilip Mallegol-HansenJul 26, 2023

@spike @evacide It was during the early-mid 2000’s in Denmark. I remember the police officer coming into the classroom and telling us not to use our real names online.

I would have assumed that’s the case elsewhere as well, but if not, you’re absolutely right that it should be.

Show threadPaul CantrellJul 26, 2023
@evacide I just learned that it is common for people to demand the password / passcode for their partner’s device, and it freaked me the fuck out. It’s just amazing how well this stuff manages to stay invisible to those of us who aren’t either abuser or victim. Thank you for dragging it into the sunlight.
Show threadJennifer Morency Jul 26, 2023
@inthehands @evacide That's something I would never ask for or provide, even if I hadn't been through three divorces by age 40. This article by a security vendor may be of interest: https://securelist.com/the-state-of-stalkerware-in-2022/108985/
The state of stalkerware in 2022

In 2022, Kaspersky data shows that 29,312 unique individuals around the world were affected by stalkerware. We detected 182 different stalkerware apps, the most popular one was Reptilicus.

Kaspersky
Show threadJadeRobinJul 26, 2023
@inthehands @evacide god I don't even share my username with them in places that are more private themselves, like kbin/lemmy. I can't imagine someone surrendering their entire privacy like that and/or expecting someone else to.
Show threadkkellerJul 26, 2023
@evacide how do you usually respond to these folks?
Show threadMarc JacobsJul 26, 2023

@evacide When a coworker left the workplace, about 15 years ago, I asked her if she wanted to connect on social media to stay in touch.

She explained, no, not on social media. Because she had a stalker. Said it in a matter-of-fact tone.

I believed her.

But I also realized I had *no idea whatsoever* what life was like for women acquaintances. I was in my 40s. Meaning I had been clueless for years.

Show threadMy name is Gloria ActuallyJul 26, 2023
@evacide I follow some car mechanics on YouTube and it’s absolutely terrifying how frequently women have tracking devices placed on their cars by abusive current or ex partners are.
Show threadMartin RuskovJul 26, 2023
@evacide unfortunately, there's a third category and it goes by a cool name. There's a thing in business process management that they call #taskMining, but it is employee surveillance with the apparent goal of process optimisation. It has no consideration of privacy or trust whatsoever, and is very probably borderline illegal with respect to #GDPR. It's a brave new world out there and sales don't care that we've been here already https://www.celonis.com/process-mining/what-is-task-mining/
What is Task Mining? | Celonis | Task Mining Solutions

Task mining allows businesses to capture user interaction data through desktop monitoring. Boost efficiency, productivity and improve employee experience with Celonis task mining.

Celonis
Show threadSteveJul 26, 2023
@evacide it’s weird how many people pretend never to have heard of it, but also think it’s perfectly reasonable to demand the passcode to their partners devices/set known passwords for everything. I guarantee there are a number of people that are in that second category, who feign ignorance, but also actively use stalkerware
Show threadMan BluesJul 26, 2023

@evacide interesting...
A lot of my A-Level studies centered around this sort of thing and it was depressing (as a man) to see what men are capable of.

And, speaking as one of those men who wouldn't even *want* to use these trackers, it frightens me that this stuff is even out there with a presumably legitimate purpose (i.e. so you don't lose sight of your kids) but that people decided there's another use... 😥

Show threadCassandrichJul 26, 2023
@manblues @evacide That's not how it goes. The makers know exactly who their market is, and only make up legitimate sounding (not legitimate sounding unless you're a monster who thinks children are property not human beings) applications as legal CYA.
Show threadMan BluesJul 26, 2023
@dalias @evacide which is even worse then. Sinister in design as well, never mind usage... Oof
Show threadevacideJul 26, 2023
@manblues Stalkerware deliberately hides from the user for the purpose of circumventing consent. There is no reason you should need to hide the presence of tracking software from your kids in order track them.
Show threadMan BluesJul 26, 2023
@evacide agreed... Even more scary.
Looks like I need to attend one of your talks.. 🤔
Show threadThomas DepierreJul 26, 2023
@evacide yep. Same here every time i bring it up.
Show threadFish Id Wardrobe ⁂Jul 26, 2023
@evacide So: what I'm hearing here is that the men that do this s**t don't talk to other men about it.
Show threadCassandrichJul 26, 2023
@fishidwardrobe @evacide They do, just on Reddit and 4chan under aliases.
Show thread🇺🇸Sleepy Liberal🇺🇦Jul 26, 2023
@evacide I am the third, "thanks for the tips." /j
Show threadT. CowartJul 26, 2023
@evacide have these men… met men?
Show threadMarekJul 26, 2023
@evacide I must admit that without https://github.com/seemoo-lab/AirGuard I wouldn't know about such things either. #AirGuard
GitHub - seemoo-lab/AirGuard: Protect yourself from being tracked 🌍 by AirTags 🏷 and Find My accessories 📍

Protect yourself from being tracked 🌍 by AirTags 🏷 and Find My accessories 📍 - seemoo-lab/AirGuard

GitHub
Show threadkatrintheresaJul 26, 2023
@evacide @SwiftOnSecurity — I should educate myself about this more so I can tell my nieces about this.
Show threadTheSwiftDojoJul 26, 2023
@evacide something else I just learned today.... Apple has a Safety Check feature. Tell your whole family.
https://support.apple.com/guide/personal-safety/how-safety-check-works-ips2aad835e1/1.0/web/1.0
How Safety Check on iPhone works to keep you safe

If your personal safety is at risk, you can use Safety Check on iPhone to quickly stop all sharing and access, or easily review and update sharing with individual people and apps.

Apple Support
Show threadCody KoniorAug 19, 2023

@evacide I’m definitely doing the latter a lot! Of course I don’t enjoy hearing stories about horrible people doing horrible things but I could never imagine people doing these kinds of things because I’m *checks notes* normal^.

^ Neurodivergent living my happy little life with my happy little family in a happy little home that avoids all contact with other humans because I don’t trust them