Suspected infidelity: what can be done without invading privacy.
First of all, the part that avoids serious problems: installing an app on your partner's phone to read messages, see their location, or record the screen is device intrusion — a crime under article 154-A of the Penal Code, punishable by 1 to 4 years in prison. It doesn't change anything that you live together, that the device is unlocked, or that the account is in your name. This page doesn't recommend any spy apps and explains what you can do legally.
The distrust is real and truly bothersome. However, the path the internet usually suggests—installing a hidden program—creates three new problems without solving the old one: a crime, a subscription that's difficult to cancel, and the couple's privacy stored on a stranger's server.
What the law allows and what it does not allow.
On your own device, you can
View your history, recover your deleted notifications, and check the devices connected to your account. It's yours and doesn't depend on anyone's authorization.
Combined location, it can
Google Maps and iPhones allow two people who have agreed to share their location. Both know, both see the same thing, and either can turn it off whenever they want.
Younger child, with transparency, can
Parental control is legitimate when the child is aware of it and the notification is visible on the device. Google Family Link is free and works this way.
Another adult's cell phone is not allowed.
Reading messages, screen mirroring, or tracking without consent is a crime under article 154-A. Intercepting someone else's conversation also has its own law, 9.296/96.
Using it as evidence doesn't work.
Material obtained through intrusion is usually discarded during the legal process, and whoever installed it becomes responsible for the intrusion. In a custody dispute, the burden falls on whoever spied.
Why spy apps are dangerous for those who install them.
1: It's not on the Play Store. It comes as an APK file and requires disabling Android security measures — the same ones that prevent bank fraud.
2: Everything he captures leaves his cell phone and goes to the server of the company that published it. This type of service has already suffered leaks, and what leaks is the couple's entire life.
3: The charge is recurring and doesn't go through the app store, which makes cancellation much more difficult.
4: The registration links your card to a surveillance service. It's a record that exists and can be requested.
5: Requesting accessibility and administrator permissions is precisely what opens the door to fraud on the device.
What to do about distrust?
It's worth facing the uncomfortable point: discovery doesn't restore peace. Those who read the messages and find nothing start to think there's another hidden app. The doubt isn't resolved by proof, because it didn't arise from a lack of evidence.
What usually works is saying what you're feeling instead of seeking confirmation. "I've been feeling insecure" starts a conversation; a screenshot shared without permission ends any conversation. If the conversation stalls, couples therapy exists precisely for this reason, and today there is accessible online service, in addition to university teaching clinics.
If the decision is to separate, seek legal advice before taking any steps. In Brazilian divorce, fault does not alter the division of assets, so proving infidelity rarely changes the practical outcome. And if what exists is not jealousy, but fear, control, or violence, call [the authorities]. 180 Free, confidential, 24 hours.
Common questions
No. It's device intrusion, a crime under article 154-A of the Penal Code, punishable by 1 to 4 years in prison. Living together or paying the bill doesn't change that.
No. The messages are end-to-end encrypted. Anyone who promises otherwise is lying or will demand physical access to the device—and that's a crime.
Uninstall the service, cancel your subscription on its website, and change any relevant passwords. If there is an ongoing dispute, consult with a lawyer before taking any action.
Check Settings > Accessibility and remove any service you don't recognize; review apps with administrator permissions; terminate unknown devices in Connected devices on WhatsApp; run Play Protect.
No, when it's combined and reciprocal, through the official features of Google Maps or the iPhone. What's not allowed is activating it secretly on the other person's device.
