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A pair of reports released by the Citizen Lab at the 91�Թ�’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy have detailed how abusers are using “stalkerware” apps to harass others with near-impunity, according to the CBC and Toronto Star.

Some of the spyware apps are promoted as child-tracking programs for parents or employee-tracking tools for employers. But others brazenly market their utility as a way to catch cheating spouses and clandestinely collect data from the phones of non-consenting domestic partners, the CBC reported, citing Citizen Lab’s report .

Several aspects surrounding the marketing, sale and use of these stalkerware apps violate Canadian laws, but victims are rarely afforded legal remedies due to a lack of knowledge on the part of judges, lawyers and police, the Toronto Star reported, citing Citizen Lab’s second report, .