Facebook’s “Active Listening”: Is Your Phone Really Spying on You?
Hey, have you ever had that creepy feeling? You’re chatting with a friend about a new gadget or a vacation spot, and bam – an ad for it pops up on your Facebook feed. It’s enough to make anyone wonder: is my phone listening to me? Well, recent reports suggest that the answer might be more complicated than a simple “yes” or “no.”
For years, the tech giant Facebook has denied using your phone’s microphone to serve targeted ads. (TweakTown) However, a leaked report from 404 Media reveals that Facebook’s advertising partner, Cox Media Group (CMG), may be using a software called “Active Listening” to capture real-time voice data from smartphone conversations. (Gizchina, News9Live, Futurism) This data is then combined with other behavioral information to create highly targeted ads. (News9Live)
CMG’s pitch deck listed Facebook, Google, and Amazon as clients, although it didn’t specify if they were involved in the “Active Listening” service. (Futurism) Following the report, Google removed CMG from its Partner Program, and Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is reviewing its partnership with CMG. (News9Live) Meta has stated that it does not use your phone’s microphone for ads and has been public about this for years. (TweakTown) However, the allegations raise serious concerns about privacy and data security.
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