PhoneSpector and Highster, two phone surveillance services, have shut down after their owner settled state accusations of illegally promoting spyware.
These apps, commonly known as stalkerware, are designed to stay hidden on a person's phone and secretly upload messages, photos, and location data to a dashboard viewable by the abuser.
The owner of PhoneSpector and Highster agreed to pay $410,000 in penalties and modify the apps to alert users if their phones are being monitored.