Stalkerware Being Sold on TikTok & Monetizing our Worst Instincts

A stalkerware economy is thriving on TikTok, and it's generating hundreds of thousands in sales. Journalist Rosie Thomas from 404 Media joins the show this week discuss her investigation into GPS trackers being sold as relationship surveillance tools directly through TikTok Shop. This isn't some dark web operation - it's happening on one of the world's most popular social platforms. The findings are disturbing. Content targets people with taglines like "Is she really going out with friends?" are generating hundreds of thousands in sales. Algorithms don't just show you this content - they amplify it the moment you engage. The digital economy we all live in has normalized surveillance to the point where stalking your partner is being marketed as a reasonable relationship tool. The technology isn't new, but the accessibility and algorithmic amplification absolutely is. This conversation touches on everything from the failure of tech companies to consider abuse cases in product design, to how parasocial relationships are replacing actual community bonds, to the legal gaps that leave victims with limited recourse. If you work in tech, this episode should make you uncomfortable. As a citizen, it should terrify you. It's a reminder that our biggest threats often come from the normalization of our culture's worst tendencies. Read more on 404Media: https://www.404media.co/tiktok-shop-sells-viral-gps-trackers-marketed-to-stalkers/