Tracking apps turning cell phones into portable spies Skip to content NOWCAST WPBF 25 News at 8 a.m. Saturday Watch on Demand Menu Search Homepage Local News National News Coronavirus Politics Matter of Fact Investigate Weather Radar Hurricanes Skycams Map Room Forecasting Our Future Traffic ulocal Entertainment News We Love Upload Sports Football Friday Scholar Athlete of the Month Health WPBF 25 Unified Project CommUNITY State of Addiction News Team Estrella TV True Crime Network Contests Editorials Contact Advertise with WPBF Advertise with Estrella Privacy Notice Terms of Use Weather Search <% var weatherAlertsMessage = "There " + ( weatherAlerts > 1 ? "are" : "is" ) + " currently " + weatherAlerts + " active weather " + ( weatherAlerts > 1 ? 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Updated: 8:03 AM EST Feb 8, 2013 Paul LaGrone Anchor Private eyes are tracking your pets, your kids, even your spouse.Tracking apps allow you to instantly know where everything and everyone in your life are.Instantly down-loadable tracking apps are available for purchase online. Footprints lets you track your kids. Through your cell phone, the app allows you to see where they are , where they've been, who they're calling, and who they're texting. You get access to your children's texts and the messages they've received. All of it is beamed to your cell phone in real time. The same app can be used to monitor employees.When Fido’s home alone, you're never far away with Pet Tracker. This app comes with a lightweight GPS device that your dog wears on the collar. Your smart phone tracks your pet's movements, even setting up virtual fences.But as we discovered, the technology goes even deeper. Multiple websites like Cell Spy Now, offer downloadable software that literally puts you inside someone's phone. You can listen in to their phone conversations. Even when they're not on the phone, you can activate their phone’s microphone, turning it into a virtual bugging device, letting you hear everything in the room that's louder than a whisper.Mike Russell is a professional spy, a former undercover cop from Philadelphia who once infiltrated the New Jersey mob. He's got the marks to prove it."I got shot in the back of the head," Russell said, pointing to the back of his head where the bullet hit. Today, Russell works the streets of South Florida. "I’m out there by myself. I can't pick up the microphone and say, 'Ineed help, I’m out there.'"Russell has a unique take on the tracking app technology. He doesn't think a cell phone will ever replace his skills."Everything I do is admissible in court and credible," Russell said. He also warned that any information you glean from someone's cell phone can be a potential legal nightmare. "I want to know who's speaking into that phone; how do I identify you or the cameraman, how am I going to do that and prove that?"Even Facebook is getting in on the tracking fun. The social networking giant just announced it’s developing a smartphone application that will track the location of its 1 billion users. The app is designed to locate nearby friends. According to Bloomberg, “The tracking app could help Facebook sell ads based on users' whereabouts and daily habits.”Law enforcement agencies and the federal government have been using tracking technology and cell phone spying for years now. Pending legislation in Congress would require local governments to get a warrant before they become an uninvited fly on your wall. Private eyes are tracking your pets, your kids, even your spouse. Tracking apps allow you to instantly know where everything and everyone in your life are. Advertisement Instantly down-loadable tracking apps are available for purchase online. Footprints lets you track your kids. Through your cell phone, the app allows you to see where they are , where they've been, who they're calling, and who they're texting. You get access to your children's texts and the messages they've received. All of it is beamed to your cell phone in real time. The same app can be used to monitor employees. When Fido’s home alone, you're never far away with Pet Tracker. This app comes with a lightweight GPS device that your dog wears on the collar. Your smart phone tracks your pet's movements, even setting up virtual fences. But as we discovered, the technology goes even deeper. Multiple websites like Cell Spy Now, offer downloadable software that literally puts you inside someone's phone. You can listen in to their phone conversations. Even when they're not on the phone, you can activate their phone’s microphone, turning it into a virtual bugging device, letting you hear everything in the room that's louder than a whisper. Mike Russell is a professional spy, a former undercover cop from Philadelphia who once infiltrated the New Jersey mob. He's got the marks to prove it. "I got shot in the back of the head," Russell said, pointing to the back of his head where the bullet hit. Today, Russell works the streets of South Florida. "I’m out there by myself. I can't pick up the microphone and say, 'Ineed help, I’m out there.'" Russell has a unique take on the tracking app technology. He doesn't think a cell phone will ever replace his skills. "Everything I do is admissible in court and credible," Russell said. He also warned that any information you glean from someone's cell phone can be a potential legal nightmare. "I want to know who's speaking into that phone; how do I identify you or the cameraman, how am I going to do that and prove that?" Even Facebook is getting in on the tracking fun. The social networking giant just announced it’s developing a smartphone application that will track the location of its 1 billion users. The app is designed to locate nearby friends. According to Bloomberg, “The tracking app could help Facebook sell ads based on users' whereabouts and daily habits.” Law enforcement agencies and the federal government have been using tracking technology and cell phone spying for years now. Pending legislation in Congress would require local governments to get a warrant before they become an uninvited fly on your wall. 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