Bloke accused of making phone spyware StealthGenie is cuffed by feds

Ye shall not compete with Government..

While this guy languishes in jail, I bet the government techs are all over the code to pick up new ideas.

Big deal, Flexispy does the same thing and is freely available.

Marketing error

If he'd been selling it to foreign governments or marketed it as a corporate security application then he'd be in the clear - in fact the Better Business Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce would be giving him awards. His mistake was selling the application to "We, the People..."

Spouse not authorised

I scream: But we need a grandfather clause..oh .. a Big Brother clause at least.

Write Code, Go To Jail

The charges are frightening. Read the indictment.

1. When does an application qualify as a "device"?

2. Is the crime selling, marketing, or creating? It's not really clear.

3. On the surface, the charges would appear circumventable in much the same way that prohibited weapons sellers so: sell a legal version & provide guidance on how to render it prohibited (e.g. more capacious clips, automatic operation). There's the problem of use too. It's evidently OK if the app is used to monitor your infant, teen, or granny, but not others.

4. On a relative scale, the consequences seem disproportional compared to those responsible for our recent world wide recession or bankers concealing funds. Am aware of fines being levied, but not criminal indictments.

Will be interesting to see how the EFF, ACLU, or pro bono constitutional lawyers respond.