Causes.com
| 4.17.24
Myth or Reality: Is Our Tech Listening?
Are you concerned about your tech listening to you?
What's the story?
- As technology has become more advanced, accessible, and personalized, many have noticed increasingly targeted ads, making the public ask, are our phones listening to us?
- It's a common conspiracy theory that companies use our phones and tech items to listen to our conversations to gain data on which ads to show us. Many news outlets and leaders of the tech industry have said this isn't true. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has even denied the claims under oath. So, what leads people to believe this is true, what do experts say, and are there any tech products that do listen to our conversations?
The evidence
- While it's true that our personal data is used for targeted ads, most experts agree that, no, our phones don't listen to us. Eric Seufert, founder of marketing consultancy Heracles Media, said it's mainly "an old wives' tale." He continued:
"It's this kind of mythical, horrific, but ultimately untrue, fear."
- It's true, however, that companies have an uncanny ability to show us ads relevant to our everyday lives. This information is accumulated through our search histories, in-app interactions, past purchases, online profiles, and more, which companies sell to advertisers. Advertisers then use this information to show us ads that match our interests.
- Casey Oppenheim, co-founder and CEO of Disconnect, an app that blocks targeted ad "trackers," said that companies don't just collect fragments of your personalized data, but build profiles of you. These profiles allow businesses to make inferences about you based on the data they've collected.
- Many consumers are also concerned about their smart speakers, such as Alexa. To get to the bottom of this, Consumer Reports and researchers at Northeastern University designed an experiment to see how closely, if at all, Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple's Siri listen to our conversations.
- The researchers found that Alexa, for the most part, obtains marketing data when you're directly talking to her about what you need to buy. Siri, on the other hand, did not pick up on voice data to give to targeted ads. Lastly, the researchers found Google Assistant was inconclusive, not giving any clear evidence that it listened to your convseravations.
An expert's privacy tips
- Oppenheim recommends using a browser with tracking protection and installing a tracking protection app on your mobile device.
- Using a private browser when possible will make sure your tracking cookies are deleted after the session.
- Review app permissions, paying special attention to location, tracking, camera, microphone, and contact settings.
- Lastly, when filling out online forms, using a fake name and email address can limit tracking and targeted ads.
Are you concerned about your tech listening to you?
-Jamie Epstein
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Technology can't "listen".
All it does is a text search of key words that it can then match with ads categorized by key words.
Since I read information sources across the spectrum I get all sorts of contradictory targeted ads.
Today I had to unsubscribe text messages from Trump and the GOP. I've also unsubscribed a whole bunch of Dem candidates with access to the Dem list.
Don't know why politicians think they can take over my text messaging which I reserve for family, friends, medical providers, banks and credit card confirmations, 2 step security validation, etc.
I don't want my important communications buried in a bunch of political junk texts.
We need legislation that mandates strong privacy control over each and every Social Media Platform and Shopping Website.
Technology is a double edged sword. While it can and has made our lives easier, it has also made us dependent and open to spam, smishing, phishing, malware, tracking, ransomware, fraud, cyber bullying, etc.
Best thing we & Congress can do is to protect ourselves from known threats. Tik Tok is one example. Congress is trying to get the Chinese government out of Tik Tok, yet there are all kinds of US citizens fighting to keep their app?
I guess screw national security as long as I can watch my videos?
BTW, we shouldn't have to give up anything or force Tik Tok to sell. Can't someone, ANYONE, in the USA develop our own Tik Tok???
We have solutions. We just need to have the motivation to keep people safe. Congress?
I'm certain that certain complex electronics could possibly listen.
But expansive surveillance of a U.S. population of more than 330 Million people is impossible. Even if it were possible analysis and selection of those to be analyzed would be impossible even using Artificial Intelligence. The sheer volume of information available without using surveillance technology means there is not much reason to waste any time or money on mass surveillance.
As the lede concludes we need to take some steps to at least reduce tracking our online activities:
• Always be mindful of the information you share online.
• Use a Private Browsing Mode: Most browsers offer a private browsing mode (Incognito mode in Google Chrome, Private Window in Firefox and Safari) which doesn’t store your browsing history, cookies, or search history.
• Enable Do Not Track: You can enable the ‘Do Not Track’ option in your browser settings. This sends a request to websites asking them not to track your browsing behavior.
• Block Third-Party Cookies: Third-party cookies are often used for tracking and advertising purposes. You can block these in your browser settings. When visiting many sites we are asked about Cookie preferences always pick reject all.
• Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can hide your IP address and location, making it harder for sites to track you. This often requires a fee.
• Use Browser Extensions: There are several browser extensions available that can help prevent tracking. Examples include Privacy Badger, Ghostery, and uBlock Origin.
• Regularly Clear Cookies: Cookies can store information about your browsing habits, so regularly clearing them can help prevent tracking. This is a very old method and requires a certain degree of discipline.
• Use a Privacy-Focused Browser: Browsers like Brave and Tor are designed with privacy as a priority and offer built-in features to prevent tracking.
• Unfortunately, while these steps can help reduce tracking, they will not completely prevent it.
• Demand Congress to enact Privacy Legislation.
I am concerned about how much tech hears and who else can hear it, and I wish we had better control over that.
I don't know that any of these companies have enough employees listening to every word I say or that it's stored, but I do wish we knew more about that.
I don't know that our phones are listening to us, but technology today and in the future does reduce our privacy and allows companies to manipulate us more and more. I am deeply concerned about the problems that AI can cause via altered images/speech that shows people doing or saying things they haven't done/said. This altering of reality is deeply disturbing and will only make our world more dangerous to live in. When you can't trust what you read or hear it's too easy to fall for lies/misinfo.which can lead to disasterous consequences.
While working for AI and web development, I find it difficult to make this technology such efficient to listen to our every conversation. However in future maybe my stance on the latter subject might change But to this day I don't belive in this. for me it very uncertain. I have done research on Automation as well worked for cognitive tools for Oil and gas industry. u can check the pros and cons of AI or communication in a specific industry at https://www.qservicesit.com/reduce-reporting-delays-in-customer-service-with-azure-cognitive-services/
Our government does absolutely nothing to regulate the daily invasion of privacy commited by Microsoft, Google, Facebook and all the other hyper-tech entities. Why are we paying our representatives?
Edward Snowden gave a glimpse on our corrupt government that was stockpiling information on it's citizens. Don't think for a minute anything has changed.
The alphabet agencies run unsupervised and have made our country that much worse in each passing hour.
Think for a moment back in 1964 when a young President was not going to stay in Southeast Asia, pull the advisors out and disband the CIA. That is some powerful enemies.
The CIA has done nothing but start conflicts along with regime change toppling democratic elected officials. I can list all the countries that the CIA has interfered with and the lists would be long and distinguished.
The CIA was in the drug trade so they could get more money for their black ops.
The cesspool in Washington DC will get bigger and deeper. Don't look for your elected officials to do squat.
It's all based on a need to know and as patsy voters you don't have the need to know.
Tech access should be by consent and AI algorithyms need to access personal data via a consensus mechanism. Web3 and blockchain SSI is one way to tackle privacy of data and access rights.
I have nothing to hide. Let it listen away. It will be bored.
CAUSES ASKS: "Are you concerned about your tech listening to you?"
ME: Maybe ... which is why my tech is limited to laptop with maybe one "ap" (jigsaw puzzles), "dumb" TV, and always off "dumb" cell phone (it only makes/takes emergency calls). No "smart" refrigerator; no robo vacuum; no "smart" car with GPS; etc. While I'm not exactly a Luddite, I do (having watched the tech explosion over my lifetime) have an inherent distrust of excessive technology, and (after exposure of Israel's use of AI to target a massive number of Palestinian civilians) where it's headed. I'd prefer Big Brother to NOT be watching me.
I know some "smart" televsions have the ability to eveaves drop on their users. I think this is something that should be controlled.
While it technically may not be "listening" it does monitor searches and written conversations or inquiries on the net. You then get ads about those things. Big Brother is watching us. Today to sell us stuff. Tomorrow who knows?
Thats the least of our problems.
Transparency is of great importance.
All phones should have a camera and microphone off switch that is absolite unless owner makes a call or receives one.
absolutely
I don't have a cell phone so I do not have this concern. I DO have a Google Home though, and it DOES listen as it often comments when I am talking to my cats or myself!
Anyone listening in is going to think I am totally insane!
It's always a little creepy when I have a conversation with someone and something we mention gets emailed to me by Amazon saying "We have something we think you'll like."
That said, I know for a fact that my tech is listening to me because I have an Echo speaker (Alexa) whose job it is to actually listen to me. So it's not like I'm not inviting it.
Is your tech listening to you, absolutely YES! If it wasn't catching your moves, then how could it ask you, "How was Meijers today?" My phone does that all the time, after I have stopped at a store. They also aske me to rate the stores I've stopped at! Apparently my rights don't matter! Then again, I also have to ask how so many candidates have gotten my info to contact me. We The People are caught because to do anything on the internet, we have to use these sites! It's time for Congress to really limit, information sharing on every level! Then they need to see that it's enforced! The Federal Do Not Call means nothing now! VOIP is horrible! This too needs legislation! I also wonder what happened to our Anti-Trust laws, child labor laws, and voting laws described in 4 Amendments of the Constitution! Republican led states are violating these Amendments now! Worse, our Supreme Court isn't ruling in accordance with the Constitution either, & many of these Justices need to be impeached for poor behavior, which includes violating the Constitution by approving Citizens United, voting laws in GOP led states, which hamper voting for certain groups of people. I also want to know why Trump isn't in jail, for threatening Judges and their families that are handling his cases.
I don't care if someone is listening because I don't do or talk about anything bad
I was at Walmart getting an oil change sitting in the waiting room when the mechanic walked in to inform another customer that her car was ready. He asked her how her mother was doing. She asked 'you know my mother?' He said no, the car let him know that she was on the phone. The lady was talking to her mother while waiting for her car.
Technology is listening.
welcome to 1984, but its 2024.
people in the past would shutter at the extent we are spied on by our own government.
#freeassange