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Have you ever encountered online ads for a certain product right after you’d been talking about it and thought that was weird? What are the chances of something like that happening?
Well, it’s not so astronomical if you believe a leaked report that finally confirmed what many people have thought for years.
In December 2023,404 Mediaunearthed something on the Cox Media Group’s (CMG) website that might turn your stomach. They found that the company listed “Active Listening,” a supposed advertising capability that can apparently target ads to potential customers based on what they say out loud near their devices’ microphones. 404 Media reports that CMG subsequently took down that information.
Many smart devices have cameras and microphones that are forever on, listening in the background for trigger words and phrases to spark to life—phrases such as “Hey Siri” and “OK Google.”
404 Media says it has a slide deck—a business marketing presentation—that CMG purportedly pitched to at least one company. This presentation shows how CMG offered its “Active Listening” to potential clients. Images of the slide deck boast: “Advertisers can pair . . . voice-data with behavioral data to target in-market consumers.”
It isn’t clear how this data might be collected or through which sources it may be scooped up: whether through a Smart TV’s microphone, an always-listening smart speaker, or a particular smartphone app.
The Scale of Things
Even more concerning are claims that CMG partners with big names such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook. 404 Media also published images of a few slides in the deck, one with pricing information for potential advertisers and another on how ads intend to target audiences.
During 404Media’s report into CMG and Active Listening, it also found strong evidence that it was an active program. For example, one page on the CMG website read, “What would it mean for your business if you could target potential clients who are actively discussing their need for your services in their day-to-day conversations? No, it’s not a Black Mirror episode—it’s Voice Data, and CMG has the capabilities to use it to your business advantage.” The page is now deleted, but it shows the intent.
How to Stop Your Smartphone Listening to You
Internet-connected devices surround us, and we have become heavily reliant on them. So it may be difficult to stop our phones from listening to us or ourSmart TV watching us. It’s more difficult than justprotecting your privacy when using Alexa.
However, there are a few things you may do. First, you canstop Google Assistant from listening to youon an iPhone or Android device. Furthermore, you can disable individual apps from accessing your device’s microphone.
This latest exposé only shakes people’s faith in big tech and advertising companies. However, there may be a glimmer of hope. Following 404 Media’s inquiries, Google said it is no longer working with CMG after an internal review, with Amazon and Meta making similar statements.
All advertisers must comply with allapplicable laws and regulationsas well as ourGoogle Ads policies, and when we identify ads or advertisers that violate these policies, we will take appropriate action
One thing’s for sure: this digitally connected age comes at a high cost—privacy. If it’s not our phones listening to our conversations, it’s companiestraining their AI models on our social media data.
