Your Phone Is Listening and It's Not Paranoia (opens in new tab)

I have assumed for a while now that they did, was anyone really attributing this to coincidence?

Just the other day one of my co-workers mentioned a footwear brand (very specific brand, which I have never searched or bought from their website) and the next day I had ads for that brand appearing everywhere.

But, honestly, this type of ad targeting can be useful when used correctly. If I'm going to get ads shoved down my throat, it might as well be something I am interested in. What I want to see is expanded options - in the case of the footwear show me brands that are similar so I can make a decision, and not 12 banners of the same exact product.

Obviously, the biggest issue is that your phone is out of the users control.

> So yes, our phones are listening to us and anything we say around our phones could potentially be used against us. But, according to Peter at least, it’s not something most people should be scared of.

> Because unless you’re a journalist, a lawyer, or have some kind of role with sensitive information, the access of your data is only really going to advertisers. If you’re like everyone else, living a really normal life, and talking to your friends about flying to Japan, then it’s really not that different to advertisers looking at your browsing history.

geez! is this for real? i hope this is meant to be irony.

if your phone is listening in on your most private conversations in real-life, then that IS scary!