Couples Can’t Keep Their Hands Off Each Other’s Phones

By John P. Mello Jr. 09/08/14 3:49 PM PT

Worried about the NSA spying on your smartphone? How about online hackers? Truth be told, the greatest threat to your confidential information is a lot closer to you -- namely, your partner.

That's what a recent survey of more than 13,000 people in the United States revealed.

Avast last week reported its findings. Among them: The majority of women snoop on their men's phones just because they're curious, but a third of married women peek at their hubby's mobile to see if he's faithful.

Paranoia? Maybe not. Seven of 10 women who snooped on their partner's phone found evidence he was deceiving them. More than half the peeping men found such evidence about their women.

Once they had the goods, women were 20 percent more likely to confront their significant other with the incriminating evidence, Avast researchers discovered.

"It surprised us that people you trust would be checking your phone," said Jude McColgan, Avast president of mobile.

Much is made of elaborate schemes to break into someone's phone, but that's typically not a problem for a partner. Almost half the women surveyed (41 percent) and a third of the men (33 percent) said their partner's phone wasn't protected by a pass code.

"It's remarkable that people don't use their pass codes," McColgan told TechNewsWorld. "That's scary if you lose your phone, because you're essentially carrying a PC in your pocket, and all your information is wildly at risk."

In Fourth Amendment circles, advocates often refer to a "reasonable expectation of privacy."

Read more here:
Couples Can't Keep Their Hands Off Each Other's Phones