Are smartphones actually listening to everything you say? A shocking report confirms long-standing doubts

For a long time, people have suspected that their phones are listening to conversations, but there was no solid proof. Now, a report from 404 Media confirms these suspicions. A marketing firm, working with major clients like Google and Facebook, admitted that smartphone microphones are being used to gather information. This means when you talk about buying something, like a coffee maker, your phone picks up on it, and soon after, you’ll see related ads. The report clarifies that these ads aren’t just based on your searches, but also on conversations picked up by your phone’s microphone.

A report reveals that Cox Media Group, a big player in TV and radio news, uses Active Listening technology, which involves AI to listen in on conversations and gather real-time data about user intentions. This technology can combine voice data with other behavioural information, helping advertisers target users more accurately. The software gathers data from over 470 sources, including conversations and online behaviour, allowing companies to create highly personalised ads for consumers.

404 Media report claims the shady use of Active Listening software three times within the past year. In December, they reported how a marketing firm was promoting invasive tech on its podcast. They also highlighted Cox Media Group’s secretive use of Active Listening software, raising concerns about the practice of eavesdropping on user conversations for targeted ads.

According to the report, the recent leaks have caught the attention of Meta and Amazon, both connected to the marketing firm in question. In response:

• Meta is conducting a review of the marketing agency’s terms of service to determine if user data was collected and used without permission, potentially violating agreements and user trust.

• Amazon, however, denied any involvement and has made it clear it won’t work with the agency in the future. It has warned that it will take legal action if it finds any of its partners have breached terms of service or mishandled user data.

Legal and ethical issues

In a now-deleted statement, Cox Media Group claimed that users unknowingly agree to the use of Active Listening software when they download or update apps. The software is often hidden in lengthy, dense terms of use agreements that users quickly accept without reading. This means the software can listen to users without them providing explicit consent, raising serious concerns about privacy and legality. Cox Media’s stance is that this practice is legal because users have technically agreed to it.