It’s one important thing to voluntarily share your personal phone activities with friends and family members, however, a number of app developers have been supporting a lot more sinister uses.

Google has pulled several people-tracking Android applications from the Play Store after Avast found that they’re mostly meant to allow stalking. Once the would-be spy has physical access to the target’s phone, they install a monitoring app that gathers delicate information like the place, text messages and call history.

They even help snoops hide proof of the apps — you won’t discover icons or other telltale clues. After that, the stalker can certainly keep an eye on their victim via a desktop.

The applications were often pitched as an employee and parental monitoring tools, however, CNET discovered that quite a few people weren’t using the app that way. Comments for Spy Tracker, for example, included a number of people utilizing the app to stalk romantic partners. The users were mildly popular — they had 130,000 total downloads.

When requested comment, Google confirmed to Engadget that it pulled the apps. The company previously has policies forbidding these applications and also has captured certain methods to battle partner mistreatment, like donating resources to anti-domestic violence charities similar to Refuge and working with privacy and security researchers. This also published a study in 2017 to guide privacy and security practices when dealing with abusers.

The app statement is a not-so-subtle plug for Avast’s stalking app identification equipment, however, it also indicates the problems Google deals within maintaining these types of applications out of its catalog. These types of software applications are able to clear the Play Store’s automated app screening even if they’re made with hazardous intent, and they may not be reported until after they’ve had a chance to perform certain damage.