I am not a suspicious person, but I have three teenage daughters and I worry about the world they are living in. I see both sides of the technology issue, but family is family. I did some research and decided my best option was an application enabling me to track my kid’s smartphones. I felt I needed to monitor who they were talking to and their apps and contacts. The first application to catch my eye is called SpyBubble. All I can say now is I am glad I did my research before purchasing this product. According to what I read, SpyBubble would allow me to track what my kids were doing on their smartphones.
The Basics of SpyBubble
According to the company website, SpyBubble is the most powerful application of this type available. The website claimed I would be able to eliminate any security issues, track all activities and block any content I felt was inappropriate such as pornography thevedahouse. The website stated all I had to do was download the app on my kid’s smartphones. Once I was finished, my kids would be unaware the app was on their devices. The reports would then be sent directly to me. Supposedly, I would have no difficulties understanding or monitoring the data. I learned the app would work on iOS, Symbian, Blackberry, and Android. At this point in time, I was excited.
The Harmful and Missing Features of SpyBubble
Prior to making any purchase like this, I always conduct research and look at the customer reviews. What I read was horrifying. I started to realize SpyBubble was not only inefficient, but the app could do a lot of harm. Out of sheer fascination, I kept reading. To begin with, I found SpyBubble ordinary at best. The app can easily be used for spouses to spy on each other, controlling parents and worst of all employers interested in finding dirk on their employees.
The first thing I learned was SpyBubble made it possible to read text messages. The reason this bothered me is I found the concept to be an invasion of privacy. Then I learned I would be able to see shared photos too. Although I would be able to read instant messengers including iMessage, BBM and WhatsApp, I found the list incomplete. I know for a fact two of my kids are using Viber. The third is using Telegram. I looked, but they were not included in the list.
One of the few capabilities of SpyBuubble I liked was the ability to monitor the websites my kids visited. Although I realized this feature would allow someone untrustworthy to view private information, I figured it would be useful for determining how much screen time my kids were allowed. One of my biggest issues is with the GPS feature. Almost every monitoring app includes a monitoring feature. The problem is SpyBubble does not offer geo-fencing. In my mind, this made the app useless for a parent.
The next section told me I could use a list to locate my kid’s contacts or monitor their phone contacts. All I could think of was what an abuser would be capable of with this feature. The thought really scared me. I really liked the idea of being able to remotely control the app until I realized remote access would not allow me to manage how the app was performing on my kid’s phones. Although I see the benefits of reading call logs and text messages, I was left with a moral dilemma. Yes, I could make sure my kids were not being bullied, but I am still not sure of the morality.
One of the worst things I read was I could use SpyBubble to read task logs and appointments. If the wrong person uses this information, the results would be potentially devastating. The main problem is SpyBubble is offering tracking software straddling the line between privacy and the law. I knew there had to something available that was not morally corrupt.
The Problems with SpyBubble
I found customer support for SpyBubble a joke. The reviews I read told me I was right. The company offers a 60-day money-back guarantee. Unfortunately, customer reviews were filled with people unable to get a refund. The only successful refunds I could find were issued by PayPal due to complaints. I guess anyone without a PayPal account is just out of luck. The only way I can view this lack of respect for customers is as a scam. The majority of the spy bubble review said the software did not perform the way it was supposed to.
I am not technically minded, but I do know this type of software is complicated, and regular updates are necessary. Too bad they are not provided by SpyBubble. SpyBubble does not provide good answers for customer questions, is not supported correctly, uses cheap and questionable marketing and is filled with spam. I do not enjoy writing poor reviews, but it was well earned by SpyBubble.
The Best Alternative
Once I started researching apps again, I admit I was already suspicious. I found a few that appeared to be all right, but there was always something missing. When I found pcTattletale, I thought I might have found the answer. The app is better than anything else I have found because it is not actually spyware. I found 30 different features for monitoring I did not find morally questionable. Once I read pcTattletale updates constantly, I could not wait to find out more. I really liked the flexibility of payments because it made the software much easier to afford.
The app offers a free trial and nine payments. To me, this says pcTattletale wants its customers to be able to try their software to make certain it fits their needs. I knew my kid’s data would remain secure because the software is in compliance with the guidelines set by the GDPR. SpyBubble works differently than pcTattletale. To start with, SpyBubble only shows text messages and calls for specific apps. Since none of the apps my kids are using were on the list, I knew the majority of their activities would be missed completely.
Messenger apps through FaceBook are updated all the time. Every time an update goes through, SpyBubble will stop working. Getting all of my kid’s phones the first time was going to be hard enough. I did not want to have do it over and over just to update the SpyBubble app. I also had a feeling anything I really needed to see would be missed because it would come through when the SpyBubble app was down. The approach of pcTattletale is completely different. Everything my kids do on their smartphone screens is made into a video. I can use pcTattletale to see everything.
When I learned I could watch my kids in real-time, I knew I had found the app I had been searching for. I could see Snapchat messages my kid’s thought were deleted and watch them talking to their friends on Facebook messenger. No matter which app my kids are currently using, I will be able to watch and keep them safe. Once my kid’s phones have moved 30 feet, I will know. I admit I was a little worried when I looked for the exact price. I suppose I should not have been surprised to realize SpyBubble was a lot more expensive than pcTattletale.
To monitor just one device, the price of SpyBubble is roughly $300 every year. I purchased pcTattletale for $99 a year. The price covers all three of my kid’s smartphones. The clear choice is pcTattletale.