Does your cellphone listen to you

[Eric]

Facebook accused of conducting mass surveillance through its apps

I have always thought my cellphone was somehow funneling my conversations to advertisers, as it has happened on way to many occasions that a discussion I have had (not a phone call or something actually utilizing the device) invariably results in a particularly related ad. Two days ago I was discussing a recent trip to Chicago (2 years ago actually so it's not like my internet activity has anything related in a while), and some of the good places to eat there. Within the day I see an add for a travel site touting good restaurants in Chicago. Wife yells at me to add a certain kind of cereal that we never get to the shopping list. Bam, ad in Facebook for said cereal. Wife talks to me about shopping for a flower girl dress for our daughter, you guessed it, vendors that carry those types of dresses start peppering our feeds. None of the conversations took place over the phone, but our phones were always nearby. And none of these instances in particular has any internet activity to coincide with it. So basically a new idea/discussion was the only evidence. I'm no conspiracy nut, but this is pretty strange to happen so often.

[jn1780]

Facebook accused of conducting mass surveillance through its apps

I have always thought my cellphone was somehow funneling my conversations to advertisers, as it has happened on way to many occasions that a discussion I have had (not a phone call or something actually utilizing the device) invariably results in a particularly related ad. Two days ago I was discussing a recent trip to Chicago (2 years ago actually so it's not like my internet activity has anything related in a while), and some of the good places to eat there. Within the day I see an add for a travel site touting good restaurants in Chicago. Wife yells at me to add a certain kind of cereal that we never get to the shopping list. Bam, ad in Facebook for said cereal. Wife talks to me about shopping for a flower girl dress for our daughter, you guessed it, vendors that carry those types of dresses start peppering our feeds. None of the conversations took place over the phone, but our phones were always nearby. And none of these instances in particular has any internet activity to coincide with it. So basically a new idea/discussion was the only evidence. I'm no conspiracy nut, but this is pretty strange to happen so often.

Your phone is always listening to you because of the voice assistant. As long as the Mic is always on listening for a keyword, it's always possible that your conversation is being sent to a search engine. Of course, we all know google analytics is used to target ads when browsing.

[HangryHippo]

Facebook accused of conducting mass surveillance through its apps

I have always thought my cellphone was somehow funneling my conversations to advertisers, as it has happened on way to many occasions that a discussion I have had (not a phone call or something actually utilizing the device) invariably results in a particularly related ad. Two days ago I was discussing a recent trip to Chicago (2 years ago actually so it's not like my internet activity has anything related in a while), and some of the good places to eat there. Within the day I see an add for a travel site touting good restaurants in Chicago. Wife yells at me to add a certain kind of cereal that we never get to the shopping list. Bam, ad in Facebook for said cereal. Wife talks to me about shopping for a flower girl dress for our daughter, you guessed it, vendors that carry those types of dresses start peppering our feeds. None of the conversations took place over the phone, but our phones were always nearby. And none of these instances in particular has any internet activity to coincide with it. So basically a new idea/discussion was the only evidence. I'm no conspiracy nut, but this is pretty strange to happen so often.

It sounds crazy, but I’ve noticed this as well. It’s creepy.

[Stew]

One day I was at Home Depot with my sweetie talking about how the wheels on my office chair are marring the floor and could the wheels be replaced. I said I don't know seems like a rather vendor specific item. Probably need to buy a new chair. A couple days later I was browsing Amazon.com where I found in my recommendations list office chair casters and discovered it was somewhat a standard item among chair manufactures. I never researched the topic of office chair wheels online . Although it sort of freaked me out I must say those office chair casters I ordered from Amazon are freaking awesome and scored some big points with the love of my life. I'm not sure if the phone is listening or if Amazon employs clairvoyants but either way I'm okay with it. These wheels are awesome.

[Eddie1]

I remember at my conceal/carry course last year the instructor said if you ever call 9-1-1 from a cell phone the phone continues to "listen" even after you hang up for a period of time...not sure if this is true or not.

[BBatesokc]

I remember at my conceal/carry course last year the instructor said if you ever call 9-1-1 from a cell phone the phone continues to "listen" even after you hang up for a period of time...not sure if this is true or not.

Not sure what the instructor is saying. Once you disconnect the call (mobile or not) the call is terminated. So, I don't know who is listening. If he's saying the phone itself is still "listening" you'd need that data/audio be going somewhere. So, I call BS.

As for your phone listening and broadcasting to potential advertisers. The technology is 100% available for that, but i don't believe it's actually happening. All of the evidence at this point is anecdotal and people are easily persuaded. If it was true, then you should see this in your data usage. How else is this constant stream of data being sent to their advertisers. Additionally, this rumor has been out there for awhile and, if true, there are multitudes of people who would gain by exposing this - and yet that hasn't happened.

[OKCRT]

Your phone is always listening to you because of the voice assistant. As long as the Mic is always on listening for a keyword, it's always possible that your conversation is being sent to a search engine. Of course, we all know google analytics is used to target ads when browsing.

I have been hearing that many of these new smart TVs are also listening in. That I can believe

[jn1780]

Speaking of listening devices.
https://www.kiro7.com/www.kiro7.com/...tact/755507974

[TheTravellers]

This episode of the last season of X-Files pretty much made me not want automated houses, cars, vacuums, anything...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rm9sbG93ZXJz

[Rover]

Yes, we know microwave ovens are listening to us. I believe the Donald told us so.

[jn1780]

This episode of the last season of X-Files pretty much made me not want automated houses, cars, vacuums, anything...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rm9sbG93ZXJz

There is malicious apps/code out that exploits these technologies in phones. Its not completely crazy.

[Steven Myers]

Not sure what the instructor is saying. Once you disconnect the call (mobile or not) the call is terminated. So, I don't know who is listening. If he's saying the phone itself is still "listening" you'd need that data/audio be going somewhere. So, I call BS.

As for your phone listening and broadcasting to potential advertisers. The technology is 100% available for that, but i don't believe it's actually happening. All of the evidence at this point is anecdotal and people are easily persuaded. If it was true, then you should see this in your data usage. How else is this constant stream of data being sent to their advertisers. Additionally, this rumor has been out there for awhile and, if true, there are multitudes of people who would gain by exposing this - and yet that hasn't happened.

This is happening through my home internet connection. After seeing a report on CBS news about people experiencing this I tested it out by talking about something specific and then that exact topic showed up in my Youtube suggested videos within 5 minutes. I said out loud with my tablet on and nearby that I was worried about being in a plane crash and immediately "how to survive a plane crash" showed up in my feed. I am not in reality concerned about that and have never done a search for such a thing. That is not a coincidence. It makes perfect sense that businesses would utilize this technology. Plenty of companies have done things that are shady to give themselves an edge. Cambridge Analytica ring a bell?

[Rover]

Wow. I need to ask for my money back. I keep trying to repeat this with both Siri and Alexis and don’t get any responses like you claim. Maybe they are just listening to special people.

[Steven Myers]

Wow. I need to ask for my money back. I keep trying to repeat this with both Siri and Alexis and don’t get any responses like you claim. Maybe they are just listening to special people.

Why are you such an angry person? Do you feel it is your right to insult people at will on this forum? Because it's not.

[stile99]

Why are you such an angry person? Do you feel it is your right to insult people at will on this forum? Because it's not.

Welcome to OKCTalk, Steven. In your time here (and I do hope you stay), you'll learn who can often be a valuable resource, who you can ignore for the most part, and who you can actually put on ignore because they'll NEVER have anything to contribute. I think you're already well on your way into making the needed classifications, congrats.

As for the topic of apps secretly listening in...I don't do the Facebook thing, so that might be why I don't see it. What I do see is if I search almost anything on Google, I'll see ads for that or something related. Search for info on a hotel, Google decides I need a vacation (OK, not gonna argue with that one, Google) and starts showing me hotels, cruises, vacation packages, etc. Search for info on a car, and I get flooded with ads for every make and model, not just the one I looked up. My phone does not appear to be spying on me, nor do my Google Mini or Amazon Echo. But my browser sells me out on the reg. Just last week, after ignoring it for years, Google finally eliminated "Don't be evil" from their credo.

[jn1780]

I kind of expect that in a lot of these cases, the phone or google home, alexa is "accidentally" listening to you. Those few seconds your phone thinks your talking to it, your voice is being converted to a text string and sent to a search engine for processing.

They don't need to spy on you through their phone, people freely give up their information all the time.

http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/24/tech...ing/index.html

[Rover]

Why are you such an angry person? Do you feel it is your right to insult people at will on this forum? Because it's not.

Didn't insult anyone. Just saying none of what I say at home turns into ads or leads on my other computers, pads or phones. So, it must not be universal if it is indeed happening. If others believe it is happening and want to report it great, but others who are reading should also know it isn't a universal plot/conspiracy or it is selective in who it listens too. If you take that as angry, so be it. But carte blanch accepting is as naive as I must seem to you as angry. If truth isn't important, than I guess my anger is justified.

[Rover]

Welcome to OKCTalk, Steven. In your time here (and I do hope you stay), you'll learn who can often be a valuable resource, who you can ignore for the most part, and who you can actually put on ignore because they'll NEVER have anything to contribute. I think you're already well on your way into making the needed classifications, congrats.

As for the topic of apps secretly listening in...I don't do the Facebook thing, so that might be why I don't see it. What I do see is if I search almost anything on Google, I'll see ads for that or something related. Search for info on a hotel, Google decides I need a vacation (OK, not gonna argue with that one, Google) and starts showing me hotels, cruises, vacation packages, etc. Search for info on a car, and I get flooded with ads for every make and model, not just the one I looked up. My phone does not appear to be spying on me, nor do my Google Mini or Amazon Echo. But my browser sells me out on the reg. Just last week, after ignoring it for years, Google finally eliminated "Don't be evil" from their credo.

There is a Google Analytics opt out add-on available. Runs on Chrome.

Or. you can run a TOR browser.

When I said earlier people are naive, I meant that the general using public doesn't take advantage of the things available to them and don't look for them. When you do things and use things purely for convenience and do do the work to investigate, then it is easy to be taken advantage of. A little homework goes a long way.

[BBatesokc]

This is happening through my home internet connection. After seeing a report on CBS news about people experiencing this I tested it out by talking about something specific and then that exact topic showed up in my Youtube suggested videos within 5 minutes. I said out loud with my tablet on and nearby that I was worried about being in a plane crash and immediately "how to survive a plane crash" showed up in my feed. I am not in reality concerned about that and have never done a search for such a thing. That is not a coincidence. It makes perfect sense that businesses would utilize this technology. Plenty of companies have done things that are shady to give themselves an edge. Cambridge Analytica ring a bell?

100% guarantee it's not really happening. At least not how it's being discussed here on this thread.

Is it possible? Yes. Would it be of value to advertisers? Yes. Is it happening on any large or measurable scale? No.

This has been tested to death. The fact is people are very easily convinced of things that simply are not true.

This could easily be discovered forensically if it was happening. Fact is, everyone relies on the "it's possible" and then some anecdotal story to try and force the issue into being a fact.

[stile99]

There is a Google Analytics opt out add-on available. Runs on Chrome.

Or. you can run a TOR browser.

When I said earlier people are naive, I meant that the general using public doesn't take advantage of the things available to them and don't look for them. When you do things and use things purely for convenience and do do the work to investigate, then it is easy to be taken advantage of. A little homework goes a long way.

The thing is, I really don't give a pile of rat feces if Google thinks I'm in the market for a cruise or a Nissan Altima. The ads I can't block I've become rather adept at ignoring, other than for amusement value. I'll never be taken advantage of, because the odds of me seeing an ad for an African safari and thinking "Holy crap, I gotta do that!" are precisely zero, which is why I don't bother going out of my way.

[Steven Myers]

Welcome to OKCTalk, Steven. In your time here (and I do hope you stay), you'll learn who can often be a valuable resource, who you can ignore for the most part, and who you can actually put on ignore because they'll NEVER have anything to contribute. I think you're already well on your way into making the needed classifications, congrats.

As for the topic of apps secretly listening in...I don't do the Facebook thing, so that might be why I don't see it. What I do see is if I search almost anything on Google, I'll see ads for that or something related. Search for info on a hotel, Google decides I need a vacation (OK, not gonna argue with that one, Google) and starts showing me hotels, cruises, vacation packages, etc. Search for info on a car, and I get flooded with ads for every make and model, not just the one I looked up. My phone does not appear to be spying on me, nor do my Google Mini or Amazon Echo. But my browser sells me out on the reg. Just last week, after ignoring it for years, Google finally eliminated "Don't be evil" from their credo.

Thanks stile99! That's good insight.

[Rover]

100% guarantee it's not really happening. At least not how it's being discussed here on this thread.

Is it possible? Yes. Would it be of value to advertisers? Yes. Is it happening on any large or measurable scale? No.

This has been tested to death. The fact is people are very easily convinced of things that simply are not true.

This could easily be discovered forensically if it was happening. Fact is, everyone relies on the "it's possible" and then some anecdotal story to try and force the issue into being a fact.

Good comments. There are whole sects in our society who are totally convinced of all the dark things others are willing to spread and propagandize. There are real concerns about privacy, but it isn’t always regarding the people many think it is or happening how people think. Often it is obscured in laws and policies out in the open which people overlook for other dogmatic reasons. Best defense is being well informed (with TRUTHS) and a public interested enough to vote at a local level.

[turnpup]

Sort of on topic...I've seen more than a few people who have placed tape or a post-it over their computer cameras.

[Laramie]

We've heard something similar to this about the flat screen television spying on your activities in the home; particularly in the bedroom.

Just don't believe that our cyber technology has gotten to this point. Meanwhile, if your insecurity gets the best of you, cover your camera on your desk or laptop when exploring the internet.

You will see ads related to things you search thru the various search engines show up on various sites.

[TheTravellers]

Sort of on topic...I've seen more than a few people who have placed tape or a post-it over their computer cameras.

Yep, I've done it on my work and home laptops, they can be turned on remotely if your system has been hacked/malwared/spywared, etc., that's a proven fact.