Kaspersky Report: Germany has the most cases of digital stalking in Europe

Digital stalking is increasing worldwide; in a European comparison, Germany is in first place. This emerges from an analysis by the cybersecurity company Kaspersky. According to this, the number of those affected worldwide rose by almost six percent to 31,031 last year. Although the trend in Europe is declining overall, Germany still has the most cases with 577 cases.

Behind them are France with 332, Great Britain with 271, Spain with 257 and Italy with 252 cases, as the report shows. Germany is in tenth place worldwide.

Almost one in ten monitors their partner

According to a survey conducted as part of the report, one in three respondents in Germany (33 percent) has already been stalked in this way or suspects it. 23 percent have already been affected by digital stalking in their current or a past relationship, and 18 percent have experienced this with a dating partner.

According to the survey, nine percent openly admit to manipulating their partner’s smartphone with stalkerware. Another nine percent urged their partner to install monitoring apps.

One in five people in Germany supports full transparency in the partnership, which also includes consensual monitoring. 16 percent consider such monitoring to be acceptable only if it is carried out by both parties and with mutual consent. However, a clear majority, 62 percent, fundamentally reject monitoring their partner without their knowledge. 44 percent are also against consensual control of their partner’s online activities.

Disguised as anti-theft or parental control apps

Stalkerware enables location-independent access to smartphones. “Depending on the software used, everything from device location to text messages, social media chats and photos to browser history can be viewed and monitored,” the report says. Since the software works unnoticed in the background, most of those affected know nothing about the monitoring.

“Stalkerware products are typically marketed as legitimate anti-theft or parental control apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, but are in fact misused for other purposes,” the security experts warned. In most countries, stalkerware software is not banned, but installing it on someone else’s smartphone without their consent is a punishable offense.

Digital stalking is increasing worldwide; in a European comparison, Germany is in first place. This emerges from an analysis by the cybersecurity company Kaspersky. According to this, the number of those affected worldwide rose by almost six percent to 31,031 last year. Although the trend in Europe is declining overall, Germany still has the most cases with 577 cases.

Behind them are France with 332, Great Britain with 271, Spain with 257 and Italy with 252 cases, as the report shows. Germany is in tenth place worldwide.

SOURCE