A US developer published a video stating that software included with a range of smartphones is tracking key presses, location data and received messages of users, without permission. The application, from US-based Carrier IQ, is intended to “enable mobile operators and device manufacturers to gain valuable insights into the customer experience.” However, according to video creator Trevor Eckhart, it also records a wide range of personal information unrelated to its core task.

US publication Forbes said that the software is “tough to spot and impossible to remove,” noting that if the software is performing as Eckhart alleges, it could place the various companies using it in breach of wiretapping law. It is not clear if it is included in devices sold globally, although Carrier IQ says on its website it has been embedded in more than 140 million handsets. The Telegraph mooted that the software would breach European data privacy laws if it is deployed in this region.

The video, embedded below, shows the app recording user information even before it has been sent beyond the handset. It also shows that the application is recording data input into web pages that use the SSL protocol to encrypt data when sent over the internet.

While reports initially said that Carrier IQ is included on Android, BlackBerry and unspecified Nokia devices, it has also been suggested that it is also included on Apple’s iPhone. However, in this case, it appears to have more limited functionality, and may not be able to capture the information recorded on other platforms.

According to Dow Jones Newswires, Nokia has said that “Carrier IQ does not ship products for any Nokia devices, so these reports are wrong.” It has also separately been suggested that some Android devices, including Google’s Nexus-branded devices, do not ship with the software included.

Carrier IQ had previously sent Eckhart a “cease and desist” letter, complaining that he had described the software as a “rootkit,” and made use of its copyrighted material. It withdrew this last week, stating that it “understands that Mr Eckhart and other developers like him play an important role by raising questions about the complicated and technical aspects of the mobile ecosystem.”

Last month, Carrier IQ issued a statement clarifying its position, stating that it “delivers mobile intelligence on the performance of mobile devices and networks to assist operators and device manufacturers in delivering high quality products and services to their customers.” It said that while it does monitor various aspects of a device’s performance, “we are counting and summarising performance, not recording keystrokes or providing tracking tools.”