Monitoring software is widely advertised and easy to buy, and that is precisely why it is misused so often. In Greece, as across Europe, the line between lawful supervision and a criminal offence is clear. Lawful device monitoring means three things only: your own devices, devices of minor children under your parental responsibility, and company-owned devices under a written usage policy that staff know about. Within those limits, monitoring is a legitimate tool for safety and security.
The office of Petros Drolias, licensed private investigator in Athens since the early 1990s, has handled more than 1,500 cases in 14 countries. We help families and businesses use monitoring proportionately and transparently, and we provide forensic examination and data recovery for devices you own.
What device monitoring covers
Each of the six services below is offered strictly within the legal framework. If a request falls outside it, we will tell you plainly and suggest a lawful alternative.
Mobile phone monitoring
For parents, this means setting up age-appropriate supervision on your minor child's phone: content filters, screen-time limits, location sharing and app controls. For businesses, it means configuring company-issued phones under a mobile device management policy that employees have read and accepted. We do not install hidden monitoring on another adult's phone under any circumstances.
Computer monitoring
On company-owned computers, proportionate logging and security monitoring can protect confidential information and help investigate misuse, provided a written IT policy is in place and staff are informed. We help design and implement this with your lawyer and IT team. At home, we set up family controls on computers your children use.
Tablet monitoring
Tablets are often a young child's first device, and the right settings make a real difference. We configure parental controls, approved app lists, safe browsing and time limits suited to your child's age, and explain how to adjust them as your child grows. The aim is protection with a gradual increase in independence.
Social media monitoring
For businesses, we monitor public mentions of your company, brand and executives to spot fake profiles, impersonation, scams using your name or reputational threats early. For parents, we help you set up the supervision tools that platforms provide for minors' accounts. Private messages of other people are never accessed.
GPS tracking
GPS tracking is lawful and useful for your own vehicles, company fleets, equipment and valuable assets. We advise on suitable systems and on the transparency obligations towards drivers and employees under data protection law. We do not place trackers on vehicles belonging to or used by other adults without their consent.
Data recovery
Accidentally deleted photos, a damaged phone, a crashed laptop or a wiped USB stick: we attempt recovery from your own devices and storage media. When the data may be used as evidence, we document the process carefully so that the recovered material can be relied on. Results depend on the device and its condition, so we always assess before promising anything.
How we work
We begin with a confidential conversation to understand the purpose: protecting a child, securing company information, recovering data or managing a fleet. We confirm that the request is lawful and proportionate, propose the right solution and provide a written cost estimate.
For businesses, we work with your lawyer and IT team so that policies, notices and technical settings are aligned. For families, we explain clearly what the controls do and how to talk to your child about them. You receive written documentation of what was configured or recovered.
Getting the balance right
Lawful does not automatically mean appropriate. Even on devices you are entitled to supervise, the most effective approach is usually the least intrusive one that addresses the real concern.
For families, that means matching controls to a child's age. A seven-year-old's tablet can be tightly restricted; a sixteen-year-old needs more independence, with clear rules agreed together and controls focused on genuine risks such as contact with unknown adults. Monitoring that a teenager knows about, and understands the reasons for, tends to work better than secret supervision that destroys trust when discovered.
For businesses, proportionality is also a legal requirement. A written policy should explain which company devices and accounts may be monitored, for what purposes, what is logged, who can access the data and for how long it is kept. Blanket, permanent monitoring of every keystroke is rarely justified. Targeted security logging, combined with a clear process for investigating specific incidents, protects the company without exposing it to complaints or fines.
A hypothetical example: a firm suspects that client files are being copied to personal storage before employees leave. Rather than secretly installing spyware, it adopts a clear policy, deploys data-loss prevention on company laptops and reviews logs when there is a specific concern. If an incident occurs, the evidence is lawful and usable, and staff were informed in advance.
The legal limits, plainly stated
Article 19 of the Greek Constitution protects the privacy of communications, and Article 19(3) makes illegally obtained evidence inadmissible. Article 370A of the Penal Code criminalises illegal interception and recording. The GDPR and Law 4624/2019 govern monitoring of employees and the processing of personal data. In practice, covert spyware or GPS trackers on another adult's phone or car are illegal, and we will not provide them. If you suspect someone has done this to you, our counter-surveillance service can check your devices.
Next steps
For a free, confidential consultation, call us 24/7 or write to us through our contact page. Parents may find our teen concerns service helpful, and businesses can read more on our page for businesses.