Phones are listening: The hidden consent we unknowingly give
You have likely heard or participated in conversations about phones allegedly eavesdropping on users' conversations for marketing purposes. One of Facebook's marketing partners openly admits to doing so.
4 September 2024 19:37
You talk about buying wireless headphones and see ads for such products online. You shouldn't be surprised if a similar situation has happened to you. According to MSPowerUser.com, "active listening" technologies are in use, and we agree to their use without much thought.
Information about "active listening" comes from a leak from Cox Media Group, a marketing partner of brands like Facebook. We learn that AI listens to phone conversations and analyzes them. It processes voice data in such a way that, combined with behavioural data, it identifies a group of people who are "ready to buy."
This data is collected and matched to services and products that should interest users, for example, within a certain distance from the venue. This way, digital advertising can be targeted, and website traffic can be analyzed.
Your phone is eavesdropping on you
MSPowerUser emphasizes that CMG has been excluded from Google's partner program. This is because the legality of practices like eavesdropping on users is questionable, even though we agree to them in practice.
The clause about consent to eavesdropping is often found in user licenses. MSPowerUser claims that in 2003, a post on the Cox Media Group blog stated that the whole practice is legal. "Is this legal at all? The short answer is: yes. Phones and other devices can legally listen to you."
"When a new application displays a multi-page agreement on terms of use during downloading or updating, active listening is often included somewhere in the fine print." Such a clause was reportedly found in the mentioned post. It seems that we are powerless against such practices unless we give up on a particular application.
