Most of us have already decided that our phone is spying on us. The surprise is that researchers studied over 17,000 apps and found no evidence of widespread secret audio recording for advertising, yet advertisers can still predict what people want with shocking accuracy.
The Great Debate
“Raise your hand if you’ve ever talked about a product and suddenly saw an ad for it.” Scientists spent a year looking for proof that apps were secretly recording conversations. They didn’t find it.
The Creepy Truth:
Your phone may not need to hear you because companies already know:
- Where you go
- What you buy
- Who your friends are
- What websites you visit
- What stores you’ve entered
- Which devices are in your household
- What you’ve searched for in the past
Consumer Reports found that Facebook was receiving information from an average of about 2,230 companies per person in a study of Facebook users.
Imagine 2,230 businesses comparing notes about your habits. That’s a lot more information than a microphone could ever capture.
Why Ads Feel Like Mind Reading
A good explanation might be: If:
- you visit Home Depot,
- search for patio furniture,
- drive through a gardening center,
- and a family member shops for outdoor grills,
the advertising system doesn’t need a recording of your conversations.
It simply predicts: “This household is probably interested in backyard products.”
That’s data science, not necessarily eavesdropping.
Many Of Us Are Trading Privacy for Convenience
How much privacy would you give up for free apps, coupons, personalized recommendations, and convenience? Some people say: I don’t care, I have nothing to hide. Others will say: It feels invasive.
Take The Orange Dot Test
Practical takeaway you can use tonight. Do you know what the orange dot on your iPhone means?
- Orange dot = microphone in use.
- Green dot = camera in use.
I think we should all take some time to review:
- Our microphone permissions
- camera permissions
- app tracking permissions
Finally, a few simple things to think about:
- Do you believe your phone listens to your conversations?
- Would you trade privacy for free services?
- Have you ever seen an ad that felt “too accurate”?
- Which worries you more:
- microphone spying
- thousands of companies sharing your data?
Some actions to take:
Depending on your device and operating system version, it may be different for you. Poke around and you’ll find the right setting.
- Audit the microphone settings.
iPhone: Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.
Android: Settings > Security & privacy > Permission manager > Microphone.
If an app doesn’t need it, switch it off. - Kill the tracker ID.
iPhone: Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking, toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track.
Android: Settings > Privacy > Ads > Delete advertising ID. - Watch for the dots. An orange dot up top on your phone’s screen means the mic is live. Green means camera. Watch for the dots.
Bottom Line:
Researchers found little evidence that our phone is secretly listening to our conversations. What should worry us more is that thousands of companies may already know enough about you that they don’t have to. [consumerreports.org]
Deliver David's Tech Talk to my inbox
We'll send David's weekly Tech Talk to your inbox - including the MP3 of the actual radio spot. You'll never miss a valuable tip again!
