Text Spying App For Mac Computer

We spent 120 hours testing monitoring software on desktop computers, laptops and mobile devices, downloading each monitoring program on several test computers, both in our on-site lab and on my personal devices at home.

This gave us a good idea of how each program works in real-life settings. We also installed programs on my children’s devices, then sat back and waited for the sounds of frustration as they attempted to access sites such as Facebook and Steam, that we purposely blocked. This let us see how well each software’s filters work.

Apple Watch Series 4 Apple Watch Series 4 Apple Watch Series 4; Talk, text & data plans Talk, text & data plans Talk. Use AT&T Messages on your tablet or computer, and your text and picture messages will be backed up in the AT&T cloud for up to 90 days. You can run the app on tablets using Android 3.2 or higher. Copy9 is a spy text app developed for successful spy on text messages for Android and iPhone users. Checking out other text messages is to transfer text messages from iPhone to Mac, PC or another iPhone. Those people that use Windows PC can download texts and other things straight to the computer.

Qustodio is easy to install on computers, tablets and cell phones. It has 29 filter categories and captures both sides of your child’s chat conversations.

As the children came upon popular sites that were blocked, we tested the programs’ whitelists and quick access features. Sometimes the kids sent a quick message through the monitoring program asking me to allow access to a specific website. We received this message through email or text alert and could then grant temporary or permanent access.

Most of the programs we tested let you block access to the web during specific times of the day, such as bedtime or when homework and chores need to get done. We tested all these time control features to make sure they worked properly.

Computer

Finally, we looked at the activity reports and evaluated how detailed they are. Some monitoring programs simply list the websites your child visited and the search terms they used. Others provide much more detail and include screenshots of the sites your kids visit, lists of blocked search terms entered, and both sides of chat conversations.

Based on our testing, we believe Qustodio is the best computer monitoring program because of its excellent safety tools, how easy it is to install and use on multiple devices, and the detailed reports it provides parents, including two-way transcripts of chat conversations.

Best Overall

Qustodio

Qustodio is easy to install on computers, tablets and cell phones. It has 29 filter categories and captures both sides of your child’s chat conversations.

Best for Cyberbullying

Surfie

Surfie alerts you when your child gets a message that contains tagged keywords, such as “don’t tell” or “you’re dumb,” so you can crack down on cyberbullying and online predators.

Best for Mac

ContentBarrier

ContentBarrier is specifically designed for Mac computers and laptops. It lets you block inappropriate websites and set time limits for when your child can be online.

ProductPriceOverall RatingPricingParent ControlsTracking & NotificationsMinimum Subscription Cost (per year)Minimum Number of DevicesFilter CategoriesTime ManagementSocial Network & Cyberbullying MonitoringGaming RestrictionsInstant Message/ChatGPS or Cell Phone TrackingOnline SearchesInstant LockAccess RequestText AlertsWebsites VisitedEmails Sent & ReceivedChat TranscriptsTexts Sent & ReceivedPhoto & Video ActivityScreenshot LogsSummary ReportsWindowsMacAndroidiOSChromebookKindleNook
QustodioView Deal5/54.94.75$54.95529
SurfieView Deal4.5/54.84.35$59.90318
Norton FamilyView Deal4.5/54.953.7$49.99547
WebWatcherView Deal4.5/53.84.54.7$129.951None
KidloggerView Deal4/553.54.3Free5None
MobicipView Deal4/5543.3Free130
Net Nanny FamilyView Deal4/54.93.73.7$59.99518
ContentBarrier X9View Deal4/54.743.3$39.99123
mSpyView Deal4/533.94.7$199.991None

Best Overall

Reasons to Buy
Has 18 filter categories
Comes with multiple licenses to monitor several devices at once
Reasons to Avoid
Isn’t compatible with Chromebook
Qustodio Premium Small
$39.95
Qustodio Premium Medium
$54.95
Qustodio Premium Large
$96.95

Qustodio has 29 filter categories, and when you choose one, the program blocks your kids from accessing any site with that type of content. Categories include pornography, violence, weapons, drugs and alcohol. It also has categories such as online shopping, gambling and games so you can keep your kids focused on more educational content.

If a site you’re fine with your kids visiting is blocked, you can add the URL to Qustodio’s whitelist, and the software unblocks it while still restricting access to other pages in the category. Likewise, if there is a site you want to block that doesn’t fall under a category, you can add it to the blacklist and Qustodio won’t let your kids access it.
On top of content blocking features, the program comes with time controls. These tools let you govern when your kids can be online so they can focus on getting chores or homework done and aren’t up late browsing the internet. You can also set exactly how much time they can be online in one sitting.
If you install Qustodio on your child’s cell phone, you can use it to track where they are. You can also capture every text your child sends or receives and disable text ability completely from the Qustodio app. There is also a panic button – if your child finds themselves in a dangerous situation, such as if they get lost on the way home from school, they can hit the button and the program sends you a text message with their exact location so you can get to them quickly.

Free apps for apple computer

Best for Cyberbullying

Reasons to Buy
Has 18 filter categories
Comes with multiple licenses to monitor several devices at once
Mac
Reasons to Avoid
Isn’t compatible with Mac computers

Surfie lets you tag keywords and phrases, such as “don’t tell” and “home alone,” and if someone sends them to your child through email or instant message, the program notifies you through texts so you can stop the conversation quickly.

This feature can also be used in reverse, so you can block your child from sharing personal information such as their full name, birthdate or address.
The program has specific social media monitoring tools that show you what your child posts on both their own wall and their friends’ walls, as well as videos they watch and images they see. You can also monitor their friends’ social media accounts, and if they post anything inappropriate you don’t want your child to see, you can step in and block them. This also works with online gaming site chatrooms, where your child may be talking with complete strangers while playing.
This monitoring program lets you completely block social media and online gaming sites so your kids can’t access them at all. It also allows you to disable instant messaging features on these types of sites – when you do, your kids can visit the webpages but can’t talk with anyone while there. When downloaded to your child’s cellphone, Surfie monitors and captures text messages between your child and their friends.
Surfie has 18 filter categories, so you can instantly block sites about topics such as pornography, violence, suicide or drugs. You receive a text alert when your child attempts to visit any of these sites or if they search with keywords related to any blocked category.

Best for Mac

Reasons to Buy
Includes 23 filter categories
Reasons to Avoid
Doesn’t record chat conversations

Several monitoring programs are compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, but we’ve found that the Mac versions tend to be more difficult to set up and not as effective as the Windows versions. ContentBarrier, however, is specifically designed for Mac computers and laptops, so it is much more powerful and effective at monitoring your kids’ online activity.

ContentBarrier lets you block access to websites based on content by selecting categories such as gambling, sex, alcohol and racism. You can also block specific websites and search terms by adding them to the program’s blacklist.
With this Mac monitoring software, you can disable all chat features or choose to block your kids from typing or receiving messages with dangerous or revealing words or phrases such as “come alone,” “phone number” or “don’t tell.” If someone your child chats with uses one of these words or phrases, ContentBarrier automatically shuts down the chat program and doesn’t allow access until you, the parent, allow it.

Best Value

Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
Norton Family Premier
$49.99

Norton Family isn’t the cheapest program available, but with the number of devices you can monitor at once, plus the multiple tools and over 45 internet filter categories, it is a great value for the price.

You can track everything your children do on five different devices, including mobile devices, and view screenshots of the websites, videos and images they are viewing. And if installed on a cellphone, Norton tells you when and who they are texting. Unfortunately, it doesn’t record these conversations, so you won’t know exactly what’s being sent back and forth unless the program happens to snap a screenshot while your child is texting. On top of monitoring your child’s online activity, Norton gives you time controls so you can block internet access all together during times when you kids should be asleep, in school, doing homework or participating in family activities.

Best for Cellphone Monitoring

Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid

Mobicip can monitor all your kids’ activities regardless of the device they’re on. It’s compatible with both cellphones and tablets, including Kindles and Chromebooks.

The Basic version of Mobicip requires you to manually enter the URL of each website you want to block from your kids individually. However, the Premium version comes with 30 filter categories that let you quickly block every website that falls under that category. If your child needs to access a blocked site – for example to research a hot topic for school – you can temporarily unblock the site long enough for your child to gather the information they need.
The reports Mobicip gives you list the websites your child has visited and those they tried to visit but were blocked from accessing. But there isn’t much more information than that. Other programs track and provide transcripts of text and chat messages as well as snapping screenshots of what your child is looking at and monitoring the videos they watch online.

Why Trust Us?

Top Ten Reviews has been testing monitoring software for 15 years, establishing ourselves as experts in the field. We stay on top of changes in the industry and keep an eye on the evolving threats online by subscribing to news outlets and online blogs that focus on internet security. We test, evaluate and review monitoring software several times a year, so we know the programs very well and understand how they work with new technologies.

Also, I am the mother of 10 children and grandmother to four. Keeping my children safe is my top priority, especially while they are online where so much information, both good and bad, is easily accessible. I use internet monitoring software at home, installing it on computers, laptops, cell phones and tablets. It creates opportunities to have good conversations with my kids about personal boundaries, cyberbullying and why restricting screen time is so important.

Am I Spying on My Children With Parental Controls?

There’s a difference between spying on your children and filtering the content they see. Nick Wingfield addresses these concerns in his New York Times article, Should You Spy on Your Kids? He mentions that parents who abuse and overuse this software will stifle the independence a child needs to develop into an adult. However, if your mindset is to keep your children safe and not about abusing power, you’ll be far from performing the role of Big Brother.

There are plenty of websites and apps out there that are dangerous and harmful to a growing mind. Protecting your children from these influences can be a good thing. If you notice that your child is searching for questionable content, it’s probably a good time to sit down and have a talk with them. They are growing and learning. The best way to process and understand their development is through open discussion.

How do I limit internet access at home?

Limiting the amount of time your child spends online is a good way to cut back on cyberbullying and encourage your child to engage in other activities like reading, sports and in-person interaction with friends and family members. It is also a good way to keep your child focused on homework, completing chores and getting enough sleep.

One way you can block your child’s internet access is through using an internet router filtering device, like Circle with Disney. This device connects to your router or modem and is directed to all the internet connected devices. It lets you turn off internet access to your child’s computers, cellphones, tablets, gaming consoles and other devices. However, these filters are not easy to set up, and some of them may require you to cut off access to all devices rather than just one.

Another way to limit online use is with a monitoring program like Qustodio. Qustodio includes time controls with its software that lets you set specific times your child can be online. And because you can create a different user account for each member of your family, each child and adult can have different time constraints without blocking others. These time controls also have timers so you can see how long your child is online each time they log on.

Use monitoring programs to combat cyberbullying and prevent teen suicide

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the third leading cause of death among children ages 10 through 14, and second for youth age 15 and older. While there are several factors that contribute to teen suicide, bullying in any form, including cyberbullying, is a large and growing contributing issue. Others include depression, exposure to pornography, drug addiction including prescription drug abuse, and extended periods on electronic devices.

We spoke to Lauran Warburton, a suicide prevention advocate and the founder of Live Hannah’s Hope, a non-profit organization that offers support and resources to help empower youth and support families left behind after suicide, and an advocate for the SafeUT app. Warburton, who lost her own daughter to suicide, offers several ways parents can help their children stay safe, connected and engaged, and some of the signs to look for that your child may be contemplating harming themselves. We at Top Ten Reviews encourage you to use these tips in addition to monitoring software as a way to keep tabs on your children, intervene when there is a problem and start healthy conversations with your children about self harm.

What to look for: Signs your child is thinking of self harm

Warburton shared with us that her daughter’s struggles began after an accident left her daughter with a concussion, which led to a change in mood, depression and isolating herself from friends. Other parents, especially those with children who play sports, sometimes see their children become addicted to prescription pain killers. As parents, you know your child best, and any major changes in their behavior may be a sign they are struggling. Additional signs include:

Grades slipping

Hanging out with different friends, or no friends at all

Saying things like “nobody likes me” or “I don’t have any friends”

Spending lots of time online rather than interacting with people face to face

Sudden or extreme mood changes

Depression (doesn’t want to do anything)

Anxiety (afraid of doing anything)

It is common for children, especially teenagers, to have struggles and moodiness, but Warburton said it becomes a problem when the child doesn’t bounce back after a setback. Still, it is a challenge for parents to differentiate when their child is depressed or just sad. “I think the parent that is in tune with their child, they will know,” says Warburton.

How parents can help

Though it is terrifying to think of your child in trouble, it is important for parents to show love and support rather than anger or disappointment. Warburton’s biggest advice to parents is “don’t get mad. [And] don’t be ashamed to talk about” what’s going on with your child. Suicide, depression, bullying – these are all hard topics to talk about, but children feel better when they can share their feelings with their parents.

If you think your child is seriously thinking of hurting themselves, it is important to not dismiss your feelings and seek help from professionals who will provide guidance, support and resources to help you and your child.

More information on signs to look for and resources, including references for professionals available in your area, can be found on the National Suicide Prevention website, or by calling the National Suicide Prevention hotline: 1-800-273-8255.

How much does monitoring software cost?

While there are free programs, the best monitoring software comes with better protection, including multiple filter categories, text and chat transcripts and screenshot reports. You can expect to pay around $50 for a good, secure program that also includes between three and five licenses to monitor multiple devices.

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A relationship is not always the easiest thing in the world to manage, and when you suspect your spouse of cheating, life can be very difficult. Are you being overly paranoid? Are you seeing signs of infidelity where none exists?

While it should always be a last resort, it is possible to spy on your spouse with your computer and set your mind at ease, or escape a troubled relationship with a clear conscience.

Is This Ethical?

This article will cover a few simple ways that you can spy on your spouse with your computer. While MakeUseOf authors have covered a number of very useful tools to prevent others from spying on you, such as Aibek’s article on How to Cheat Keylogger SpywareHow To Cheat Keylogger SpywareHow To Cheat Keylogger SpywareRead More or Varun’s article on Public Computers Made SafePublic Computers Made Safe - Security Tools and TipsPublic Computers Made Safe - Security Tools and TipsRead More, the concept here is actually the monitoring and logging of how people are using your computer.

Free Apps For Apple Computer

The ethics are certainly debatable, but in the end, you must ask yourself how ethical infidelity is. If you discover that you’re being overly paranoid, then uninstall all of the applications and continue on in your marriage with confidence. However, if you discover that you’re married to a liar and a cheat, isn’t it best that you find out now rather than many years from now? Once you’ve worked through the techniques in this article, you will have the answer to your questions either way.

Use VNC to Monitor PC Use & Capture Evidence

VNC is a very popular, free remote computing application. While it’s an excellent way to remotely control a computer, it is also one of the best applications for spying on unsuspecting users.

This approach requires a unique configuration. First, install the full free version of VNC on the computer that you want to monitor. Install it in “service mode,” which will automatically launch the application every time the computer starts up. Enable password protection by opening the configuration and clicking on the “Authentication” tab. Next to “VNC Password Authentication,” click the configure button and create a secret password.

You’ll also want to configure it so that when you connect with your PC or laptop, it doesn’t affect the computer and signal to the user that something is up. In the properties screen, click the “Inputs” tab and configure the VNC server to ignore all inputs from clients.

Make sure all boxes are unselected. The final step is to install the software on your laptop or PC at some other location. Once it’s installed, open the application in “viewer” mode and view properties. Click on the “Inputs” tab and make sure that the boxes are unselected for the viewer to “send” anything to the server.

Once you have the server (the suspect computer) and your viewer configured, you can connect to the remote PC whenever you like and monitor how the person sitting at the computer is using it. This can be boring and tedious, or you might find your unsuspecting husband/wife visiting some questionable websites…

Accessing Cell Phone Records

One of the more common methods that cheaters use to secretly communicate with their “lovers” is through the cell phone. Many people feel that since their cell phone is so easy to use in secluded locations, that it is a safe way to facilitate an affair. Unfortunately for cheaters, the cell phone is the worst device for trying to have private conversations.

Few companies are as diligent at keeping such detailed records as cell phone companies. Not only can you view the date and time that certain numbers were called, or which numbers called the phone, but often you can also view the length of the phone call. How do you have a look at those records?

If you are listed as one of the owners on the cell phone account (most families have multiple cell phones under one account) then you have every right to view the bill. The easiest way to do this is online. If your spouse hasn’t set up an online account yet, that’s even better. All you have to do is configure the account for online billing using your email address. However, if your spouse already has an account set up, getting access is simple.

Download Texting App For Computer

First, visit the online login page (this example is from AT&T Wireless).

Click the “Forgot your password?” link, and you’ll be taken to another page where you can have the password sent to the cell phone.

The trick to doing this is to submit this form late at night when you can “borrow” the cell phone. Submit the number on this page, click continue, and then view the password that gets sent to the phone via text message. After this, you’ll have full access to the entire online log of cell phone calls. Be careful, if you are not listed on the account, you could potentially get into legal trouble – so tread carefully.

Use a Keylogger To Log All Computer Usage

While there are dozens of MakeUseOf articles outlining how you can remove keyloggers from your PC, in this case you are actually going to install one so that you can monitor all activity on the PC. Running a keylogger can reveal some very fascinating information about your spouse. One example of such a keylogger is the free version of the Revealer Keylogger.

When you launch this application, you can set it up to automatically launch at Windows startup. You can also define the special key combination that will open the invisible application.

This particular application doesn’t allow stealth startup, so if you want to use this app, the best approach is to start it up secretly just before your spouse is about to use the computer. Then walk away into another room and allow the application to do its thing.

Many free keyloggers do a terrible job capturing keystrokes, especially if the user types fast. I tested four free keyloggers and found that Revealer was the only one that captured every keystroke. It even logs application use as well. The results of such a log could turn out to be rather shocking – so be prepared!

Final Words

It’s important to keep in mind that all of the techniques detailed above should be used as a last resort. Many people find themselves in some very difficult situations, and however hard they try, they just can’t get to the truth. Technology can offer answers that a lying spouse refuses to provide. By capturing the evidence that proves infidelity or disloyalty, you can then free yourself from the burden of living a life full of doubt and worry.

What is your opinion on the ethics of using technology to spy on your spouse? Is it OK or is it an invasion of privacy? Share your opinion in the comments section below. Do you also know of any other software tools which can be used? Tell us about them too.

Explore more about: Keylogger, Spyware, VNC.

  1. My husband has been approached by women on Linkedin (at least he says they approached him, not him them…who knows). He has also deleted emails and conversations. He gets defensive when I ask him about theses conversations and says “I can’t recall’ like that is some sort of an answer.

    It appears he happily hands out his email address to any woman who comes on to him, but he says “it means nothing…just egging them on”. But the fact is…these conversations were private, I would never had known until I got suspicious of his defensiveness about his constant use of LinkedIn and Facebook. I am also not impressed about Facebook adding ‘private messaging’ that I had no idea about until recently i went online to search on how to know if my husband was cheating and i come across this mail cyber . surgeon @ outlook . co, he was able to track my husband activity both calls, messages, location, and mail....big thanks to cyber . surgeon @ outlook . com

  2. Service mode is safe mode right?

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  5. I also was strongly against hiring private investigators and i always discourage my friends from doing so until i was faced with the same situation of wondering if my husband was cheating or not. I worked with waltercyberwizard dot com. I knew something was wrong but i didn’t have a concrete evidence and it was driving me insane. i spoke to him about it several times but he always made me feel like it was all in my head. After considering my options, I went online and search for WALTERCYBERWIZARD. I am really glad i did because it gave me the peace of mind I needed after having access to all his phone conversation, social media apps, calls, text with other women. He was cheating with his married colleague . I was not ready to continue in the toxic relationship so i got a divorce.

  6. I suspect my husband has been visiting hotels with someone a couple of times a week but when he does, he cuts his phone off so he can't be tracked. I am considering a magnetic tracking device underneath the vehicle. Any suggestions as to a solution would be much appreciated. Thanks

  7. Spy dialer is good for looking up phone numbers for free.

  8. We provide concrete cheating proof

  9. hellooo, pretty sure these are phishers below. tread carefully.

  10. you can contact internetwebport737 at gmail dot com, they helped me gain access to monitor my cheating wife's phone.

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  17. I just discovered my spouse has spy ware on my computer,I don't know how long.I have never cheated ,ever so I don't know why I am being spied on. I mentioned this to him and he accused me of being paranoid. How can I remove this spyware?

  18. 4 days before Christmas I found out my husband had cheated on me with some girl he met on Facebook. My world shattered immediately, the way I found out was with the help of cyber hack (cyberhack005 AT gmail DOT com) who helped me hacked his phone remotely and I was able to see all his phone content. He met this girl via Facebook who had seen him post something for sale on a site. When I approached him about it he denied it. Until I sent him screenshots of the messages of the oral sex he was discussing and the last sex he had with the girl. He was shocked and never believed I could go that far. He kneel down to beg me immediately because he knew I have a prove with me. I was so mad and hate him for not been faithful to me

    • Thanks Laura, I also gives this hacker a try and he did a great job for me.....He is Capable of any sort of hacking Facebook, Snapchat, Cloning, Upgrading of Grades, repairing of credit file, increasing of credit scores, Gmail, Yahoo, Instagram and Whatsapp hacks and many more

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  20. Hi Ryan, I have some Technical question .. To setup this VNC .. as you writing about what have to be set it up .. Install it in “service mode,” ... Enable password protection ...“VNC Password Authentication,” ... “Inputs” ... etc. ... SO my question is , do i have to install and set up this VNC in the location where the laptop is used .. i mean the internet service location .. if this lets call it TARGET laptop is behind the VERIZON ROUTER WITH FIREWALL ?? What i mean is if i have to set up any IP address AND PORT FORWARDING TO HAVE THIS VNC TO WORK ... IT LOOKS LIKE EASY TO DO ... BUT I'M NOT SURE ..??

    PLEASE RESPOND SOON ... THANKS !

    • OR IF ANYBODY KNOW HOW TO DO IT ... I'D APPRECIATE THAT .. :)

      • Hello

  21. I took my cell phone with me one morning when I needed to spend the day talking to my affair partner. I finally answered the phone at 5 that evening which set up the ability of my husband who wrote a program and installed it on his phone to remotely seize all functions of the phone I told my husband I would be home by ten after spending the evening with an old college roommate. I was more than a little anebriated when I accepted the offer of a nightcap at the other mans hotel room at the Hyate. my husband bot tracked us and listened to everything that went on that night and the next morning when I arrived home he trapped us in the drive. When he raped on the window with his cane I knew he had listened in on us when my husband said your loser cripple want to get you out of the house and down the road with your 'girlfriend' The main problem with that he was also married and just saw me when he was in town on business. So he cleared the drive and followed us. Into the house. I could hear him and his cane come through the kitchen then the other man said watch this as he swept my husbands cane, Before the police arrived my husbands cane had shattered the left side of the other mans scull flying across the room like a spear.
    My husband had pulled himself across the room and was breaking every bone above his chest yelling with every hit who's the pathetic looser you let a cripple take you. When I tried to stop my husbands rage by holding his arm I was swatted into a corner and crawled over and called 911. Two weeks later after trying to kill his father in the stress center the week before. He was being released on a night I had made a promise to his father mother and his fathers best friend I would go to a fund raising dinner as the fourth at the table. I had just finished getting ready when I heard somebody come through the patio doors. I had nor remembered the center sent his cane home with me and I did not hear it on the floor. I went out thinking it was his father mother or his fathers friend asking for help with a clasp and ran square into my husbands chest. I did not make the dinner that evening, nobody else did either. My husband forced the first sex in 31 years for him that night. wit6h me begging him and even trying to negotiate the way the evening went. I gave my husband 100.00. Told him to pick a place to meet in 4 hours, and we could get all his grievances against everyone on the table from the last 31 years of our marriage, I just wanted a way to slow things down to think. I did want to come up with solutions that would be satisfactory to all. MY husbands only consideration that night was he was the only judge and arbiter under his roof and from that day forward his word was the only thing that mattered under his roof. I was forced into sex that evening. The first sex he had from me in 31 years and he wasn't nice about it. I was begging him to understand if he had been allowed anything he wanted the last 31 years this was the result him taking every thing he wanted without regard for needs. and his spying on me set up the next three years of hell which has not finished.

    • Jesus christ.... worst thing I've ever read.

  22. Another solution would be to use Fireworld Controller, it include bult-in keylogger and spy-bot..
    It's free.
    Link for the lazy: http://fireworld.fr

  23. I don't believe that it is wrong to spy on a cheating spouse. If they are pathological liars what can one do? My husband has been chatting with women online for years and justifies his disgusting behavior by saying it's harmless and just fantasy. He knows he is hurting me but he still continues. I need to monitor his internet activity as I will never get the truth from him. I had Webwatcher installed but it's very unreliable. I hardly receive recorded data. I would like to know of a solution that is reliable and discreet. He travels a lot so I need something that will give me peace of mind when he is away from home. He is tech savvy so I know that he detects something so I need software that is untraceable. Please can someone give me advice on this. Thank you.
    Jean

    • here is your advice, though i seriously doubt you will consider it:

      1. you say he's a cheating spouse... if you know this already why do you require further evidence?

      2. you are being hurt and you say he doesn't care as he believes it is harmless. either accept it (of course, you shouldn't) or do something about it. are you prepared to leave over this? if not, what is the point of spying further? beyond hurting yourself, what will you get out of it?

      3. if you genuinely believe you already have the 'truth' then how does it help you to have a confirmation from him? how will that change things? or maybe you don't quite believe it?

      4. how do you get peace of mind from spying on him? in your current state, as you believe him to be a liar and a cheat, it will be impossible to prove himsel in your eyes as you will merely believe it's going to happen, one day. you're not his mother or his conscience so, if you believe it's going to happen, why wait?

      5. what if you're wrong? you're just as likely to cause a break-up with your spying as his presumed infidelity.

      i'd suggest youu get to the root of your belief... if you genuinely have proof then you'd be better off finding out why he conducts himeself like this when he already married? maybe there's something to work on in the relationship to bring about more faith in each other?

      he either is or isn't a cheat. if he is, why is he... if he isn't, why do you want to believe he is?

      answer all these questions before going down this path of further spying.

  24. My partner has cheated so many times on the internet but has promised he has changed and will never do it again. He has even given me his Facebook password, now of course he will not go on there. I want to tell him that I am giving him another chance and for him to change his password to something I do not know. If I add this spyware and get him to change the password, will I be able to see what the new password is? I know it sounds awful but I need to know the truth if he really has changed or not.

  25. It's a good article. What if it's the lying cheater who is doing the spying? How do I prove that? I know there are clues, I just need to know exactly what I am looking for.

    Thanks

  26. Im not so good with technology,Im sure my husband is cheating,Im suffering with Domestic abuse,Im mother with 2 beautiful children,im 24/7 mom and wife,my life is all about them..Im pretty,christian and honest person,But my husband said bad things about me just because i believe in God and His religion is Anonymous.....Pls I have no proof or anything to show Him that he is cheating,He called me crazy,stupid ect,I need help!!! Thank you so much....

  27. Someone who has nothing to hide, hides nothing....................when you are married, if you are as one, as you should be, there is no privacy............when your life and heart are at stake, do all you can to get to the bottom, these programs will either bust a person who is wronging you so you can move on, or prove their innocence. Technology is a wonderful thing!!

  28. How much time would I need to install set up and make sure the program works? My husband stays at home while I work.

  29. Infidelity is an automatic and final track to divorce and separation, period.

    • JP - you said, 'Infidelity is an automatic and final track to divorce and separation, period.' - Well, I tend to agree, however, what is your point with regard to this technology being used? Personally, I agree with the general consensus here that many are stuck without recourse to prove their suspicions, and though it is an ugly and very painful situation all around, peace of mind being hard to come by (given the fact the alleged will not ever tell you if they are indeed doing what you are suspecting them of doing), you have to take things into your own hands. It is unfortunate, but, if things were different, well, as Steven Wright used to say, 'on the other hand, you have more fingers.'

  30. great stuff, dont mind bad coments, this is educational and very usfull.

  31. Sorry, I should have been more explicit. It logs the person off and goes to the login screen (Windows XP login screen). I've checked and unchecked everything you've said.

    I'm doing this for all the computers in my boss's office.

    Thanks for your time!

  32. Ryan Dube - I have followed all of your instructions for installing VNC, but every time I log into the other PC, it takes it to the home screen. What is configured wrong?

    Thanks for your time!

  33. Ehm.. I don't know if i should be posting this in here. But here goes.. :P

    Hamachi is a great application i use to help friends (who already have VNC installed) fix issues on their PC. But sometimes I kinda take a peek at the stuff they do on the internet (which is mostly watching p**n). My fav thing about this application is, people with dynamic IPs (or behind firewall and stuff like that) still get the same hamachi ip. For more info check out the Wikipedia Article or google it. :)

  34. Come on now guys! It's obvious that stuff like this are at the discretion of the user. It's how you use it. A knife is supposedly for the kitchen most of the times. Yet it is there in plain site at the kitchen and you can use that to kill people. It is of the importance of how you use it. Bottom line no matter how many laws out there are. It all comes down to the proper use of it in any given situation. One final blow of an example. Get this right. My cousins are cops. Some cops are bad. They have guns. Who's protecting us now from them? Huh? It's how you use it. If you have to use it to save someone, or for a better cause. It has to be done. I'll say it'll take ages of debate and no one will ever get the right answer simply because one answer is right for one doesn't necessarily mean it is for the other.

  35. I think my gf is cheating, so I got questions for the VNC is there steps missing like do you need the ip address or something else to connect the viewer to the server?

  36. how do you find out if this has been installed on your computer though?

  37. I think it's an awesome article. Very well written. A few years back I was using VNC so I could check e-mail and such from home, while I was at work. I logged on once and my now ex-wife was doing something she shouldn't have been. And she knew we had VNC.

  38. can i make money off this or is it usa

  39. I like this piece. Even if you don't want to spy, it educates people who might be the target of this kind of thing. It's not just jealous lovers who might use these tactics, it could be your boss, housekeeper, coworker, kid, employee, creepy guest, the guy that fixed your computer or sold you the used cell phone. You may be the most ethical person on earth but it's good to know what's out there. I've been married for 29 years and so far I haven't spied on my husband. But who knows, maybe sometime I might want to and this article will be useful. Show me the tools and let me decide how to use them.

    • how should I spy on my older brother . what things should I do or make to spy on my brother. I am 9 years old and I am a girl.my name is sarah. I will send you on my dad's email because I do not have an email.

    • sorry but I tought you will help me. please answer me. thank you.......??????? I am waiting

  40. Ryan/Mark This is a great tutorial, however one should check the local laws and federal laws before adopting such behavior in a spousal case. There are plenty of people with felonies on their record now for conducting activities such as this. It's irrelevant who owns the computer, who owns the phone line, who pays for the internet connection, etc. If the person using the computer has a REASONABLE expectation of privacy, and you violate it (in a judge's or jury's eyes) you will be in some deep and very hot water. Talk to an attorney before you do anything like this for this kind of purpose.

  41. Ithink this article was RIGHT ON! It's up to each person how/where/when its ok to use this or not use this information, BUT some of us 'want' to know, if your not one of those then use your delete key.
    Makeuseof isnt the moral police for goodness sake, there are lots of other information everyday that doesnt pretain to each of us as well, I dont use MAC so all those arent worth my time reading, and vise versa, Pick and choose what your interested in and leave the rest of us the right to do the same.
    Quit expecting everyone else to only read what YOU would want us to read, this is still America!
    Hats off to you Mark, Some of us actually appreicate your article!

  42. This is truly a very scary article. Any information such as this could turn out to be a very bad thing in the wrong hands and could do more harm than good, especially if the suspicion is unfounded.

  43. This is a truly disgusting article.

  44. I'm sorry, as long as it's to protect your privacy is one thing. But writing articles on how to spy on someone else is not right. There are already too many people who do it - and no matter which selfish reasons you can do it for (saving yourself heartache, time, money) it's simply not right. I don't think this kind of article belongs on MUO, to be honest. I was disappointed to find it here.

  45. I think you'd better serve your site and the question of the ethics if you accompany each suggested spying tool with a section on how to remove it or detect it.

  46. I've been in a relationship where doing this would have saved me a lot of heartache and a hell of a lot of money in the long run. That said, I would never in a million years spy on my spouse like this. I think if you're at the point where you think you need to do this, there's probably not much of a relationship left. It's a huge violation of trust.

    I would, however, use these methods to monitor computer usage by my children. I'd let them know they were being watched though - no 'gotcha' bull.

  47. Can this be used on my Mac?

  48. The ethics of this is indeed highly debatable. Leaving that aside, unfortunately, this sort of monitoring has a dark side as well. When I started to read the piece, it jogged my memory back to a post written by Bill Mullins last summer on how technology is being used in spousal abuse. Here's a piece from that post:

    ...this type of technology is now pervasive in spousal abuse. According to Anna Stepanov, manager of the Anti-Spyware program at McAfee Avert Labs, “Using spyware for surveillance in cases of domestic abuse is a serious matter.” ....“Monitoring a victim’s online, cell phone, or general computing activity is of more value than ever in controlling or hurting a victim.”

    The article is well worth reading and really thought provoking. Here's the URL: