Yes, your cell phone IS listening to you. "Active listening" is used by Google, Facebook, & Amazon

[Anonymous]

I think we have all talked about some things right by our devices then the next day it comes up on your facebook news feed or on amazons home page. This interesting article sheds some light on "active listening" used by some of these platforms.

https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/leaked-pitch-reveals-marketing-agency-eavesdrop-targeted-ads

[Anonymous]

Is there a way to turn it off?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to turn it off?

I don't think so. I think it's one of the many TOS you ok when using the webpages and apps. They hide a lot of things in the TOS in general everywhere since no one reads them like for instance airbnb when you create an account you just agreed to NEVER be able to sue them for anything, all right there in the fine print. This is all by design.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to turn it off?

From the article:

"We know what you're thinking. Is this even legal? It is legal for phones and devices to listen to you. When a new app download or update prompts consumers with a multi-page term of use agreement somewhere in the fine print, Active Listening is often included."

"Interestingly, the marketing agency claims that the presence and use of the listening software are often included somewhere in the fine print of the terms of use agreement when downloading a new app or update."

So just by using these platforms you are agreeing to those terms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to turn it off?

From the article:

"We know what you're thinking. Is this even legal? It is legal for phones and devices to listen to you. When a new app download or update prompts consumers with a multi-page term of use agreement somewhere in the fine print, Active Listening is often included."

"Interestingly, the marketing agency claims that the presence and use of the listening software are often included somewhere in the fine print of the terms of use agreement when downloading a new app or update."

So just by using these platforms you are agreeing to those terms.

This is my understanding. They can bury almost anything in their TOS and can change the TOS at any time and can change their interpretation of the TOS at any time. For instance, at some point, Google and Facebook decided that anything that you every posted, received or linked can be used to train their AI.

In this case - "You used voice to text and later posted a photo. Therefore, we can use everything from your microphone and camera for all times forever."
How do you think they make so much money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to turn it off?

Get an iphone and decline when apps ask to use the microphone or have background access

[Anonymous]

Wow. You guys are gullible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to turn it off?

From the article:

"We know what you're thinking. Is this even legal? It is legal for phones and devices to listen to you. When a new app download or update prompts consumers with a multi-page term of use agreement somewhere in the fine print, Active Listening is often included."

"Interestingly, the marketing agency claims that the presence and use of the listening software are often included somewhere in the fine print of the terms of use agreement when downloading a new app or update."

So just by using these platforms you are agreeing to those terms.

This is my understanding. They can bury almost anything in their TOS and can change the TOS at any time and can change their interpretation of the TOS at any time. For instance, at some point, Google and Facebook decided that anything that you every posted, received or linked can be used to train their AI.

In this case - "You used voice to text and later posted a photo. Therefore, we can use everything from your microphone and camera for all times forever."
How do you think they make so much money?

The major issue here is how no one has "supervised" what these tech/social media companies are up to. Almost zero regulations. Anti-trust laws broken on the regular and nothing being done. To me all this data and information collection doesn't help you it harms you and the internet what was seemed like it was going to be used for good is eroding fast and well I really miss pre-internet times. I don't like being tracked everywhere to be marketing to on the back end or tracked and my data sold at literally every turn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we have all talked about some things right by our devices then the next day it comes up on your facebook news feed or on amazons home page. This interesting article sheds some light on "active listening" used by some of these platforms.

https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/leaked-pitch-reveals-marketing-agency-eavesdrop-targeted-ads

I mean, who cares? I am not that interesting. They can listen away. I rather like the curated ads.

[Anonymous]

Funny how people are mostly just realizing this, after over two decades of it being implemented on a wide scale with cell devices, TV's, etc.

[Anonymous]

It's a scam that a scam marketing agency is pushing on gullible customers, and they are already getting banned from platforms for talking about doing it.

Your phone has a warning light whenever an app has the microphone is on.

https://www.404media.co/heres-the-pitch-deck-for-active-listening-ad-targeting/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a scam that a scam marketing agency is pushing on gullible customers, and they are already getting banned from platforms for talking about doing it.

Your phone has a warning light whenever an app has the microphone is on.

https://www.404media.co/heres-the-pitch-deck-for-active-listening-ad-targeting/

No, it doesn't always have a warning light - as anyone who knows anything about the Pega spyware scandal can tell you.

[Anonymous]

Always turn your phone/devices off when having sensitive conversations in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Always turn your phone/devices off when having sensitive conversations in person.

Even better, leave your phone behind and go for a walk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a scam that a scam marketing agency is pushing on gullible customers, and they are already getting banned from platforms for talking about doing it.

Your phone has a warning light whenever an app has the microphone is on.

https://www.404media.co/heres-the-pitch-deck-for-active-listening-ad-targeting/

No, it doesn't always have a warning light - as anyone who knows anything about the Pega spyware scandal can tell you.

No one who has to worry about that kind of spyware is learning about it from this scammy article