“Really, there’s no reason they wouldn’t be. Apple even issued a public apology a few years back when its employees were caught snooping on private Siri conversations. Peter Hannay in an interview with Vice in 2018. “Seeing as Google are open about it, I would personally assume the other companies are doing the same,” said Dr. If it’s 110% possible that a trigger captured by Google will lead to an acutely targeted advertisement on YouTube (also owned by Google), then it’s not at all impossible that this information ends up elsewhere in the data nexus. This data is encrypted and only kept deep within the apps themselves, but you can bet on the fact that it’s archived and added to an evolving profile of who you are, what you’re interested in, and what you might be keen to consume. The information sourced from these known triggers somehow finds its way back to other networks (like Facebook’s, for example), but anything beyond that is not fully understood. You’re probably familiar with “Hey Siri” and “Okay Google”, but you likely don’t know that there are hundreds – possibly thousands – of triggers, and when it comes to Facebook, nobody actually knows what they are. The problem is also cross-jurisdictional, but that’s another issue entirely.ĭespite Facebook consistently denying allegations that it’s always listening to us, chances are you’ve already tapped ‘allow’ when prompted with the request for access to your microphone on all of the company’s popular apps, including WhatsApp and Instagram.įor smart assistant services such as Siri, Google and Alexa to function properly, they explicitly rely on what are known as ‘audio triggers’ to capture specific pieces of data from your conversations. Not to mention that the legal system is inherently flawed at regulating these rapidly changing capabilities. The short answer is yes, it’s legal because I give permission for it to happen. If my phone is listening to me, is that actually legal? I’ve begun to seriously wonder to what extent this is happening, what precautions or tools we have to mitigate it, and, on which side of the law this subject finds itself. Funny that, isn’t it? Somewhat ironic, too, for a guy who works in digital media.īut the worst part is that unless you dust off your OG Motorola flip phone or whip out your Grandad’s typewriter, there’s almost nothing you can do to stop it. And in many ways, the more pissed off I get, the less receptive I am to the brands that are being forced down my throat. If you aren’t aware of it, then you can’t control it – and that’s where the problem currently lies.Īt the risk of sounding like a disgruntled Boomer with a tendency to attack every element of technological progression that I struggle to accept, I can’t help but admit I’m frustrated with the explicit overextension of targeted advertising. Some people suspect it, sure, some tech companies have even admitted to it (though not many, and usually after they’ve been caught in the act), but we live in a grey area where not everyone fully realises what’s happening to them. Is my phone listening to me? I’m certain of it. Next thing I know, there’s a PayPal ad waiting for me as I enjoyed a quick scroll before bed. Earlier that week during dinner with my housemates, I was talking about a PayPal scam that happened to a friend of mine years ago. Half an hour later, a Sky Sports article on the same topic popped up at the top of my ”suggested for you” Facebook feed. The day prior to this, I was discussing Daniel Ricciardo’s move to McLaren with a colleague. I’m talking about instances where I’d said something in a private conversation – at a volume that only the two parties present could have heard (or so I naively still think) – to find it only a few taps away the next time I unlock my iPhone. I’m not talking about targeted advertisements sourced from browser cookies or my search habits that marketing tsunami is a different beast. That’s the second time I’d consciously noticed a targeted ad in 24 hours, and the third in a week. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me, I thought to myself. And then, not even 15 minutes after I’d already bought said juice, I was scrolling Instagram stories when I was dealt with an advertisement for Nudie orange juice just three swipes in.
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