Cyber-sleuthing for suspicious spouses
Think Big Brother is watching, what about your spouse?
Here is another story that will give cheating spouses a sinking feeling in their stomach or will spark an idea for those suspecting their spouse of being unfaithful. According to a recent New York Times article, electronic eavesdropping is on the rise for suspicious spouses. One technology consultant who suspected his wife was cheating on him installed a piece of software (PC Pandora) on her computer. The program took snapshots of her computer screen every 15 seconds and e-mailed them to him. It also records e-mail messages and instant messaging, monitors and records all computer keystrokes, and monitors and records all websites visited. Originally intended as software to monitor children’s computer activities, it is now being used to watch spouses. The software gave the consultant the information he was looking for—his wife was having an affair. A divorce battle ensued. From computer software to GPS tracking devices to hacking into e-mail accounts, suspecting spouses are snooping.
Folks need to understand that if you use a computer or a phone, you are leaving an electronic trail which can easily be followed. Once divorce proceedings begin, the discovery process can allow your spouse to discover e-mails and inspect computer hard drives. Just because you hit the delete button does not mean the data is gone. Many times it is easily recoverable.
If you suspect your spouse is not being faithful in your marriage, you need to seek the advice of an attorney before you put on your cyber-sleuthing hat as there are some federal laws which you must ensure are not violated in attempting to gather electronic information.
