TheSamba.com :: View topic - Does Your Telephone Listen and Report About You?

Thu Mar 06, 2025 9:59 am

I have suspected this for a while, I have a conversation with my phone present and then my YouTube recommended selections come up with that topic. Has this happened to you?

The other day I went to the doctor for a leg issue, arthritis. I had my phone with me at the exam. I also spoke about the upcoming exam on my phone with a friend. I did no, zero, zilch online searches on this subject.
Yet this morning the recommended YouTube videos contain many videos of leg pain, exercises for leg strength, etc....

Another time I spoke on the phone about Michigan (never been there, no family nor friend ties with Michigan) The next day the video I was watching had an ad to vacation in Michigan!

Tell us if this has happened to you, details?

Thu Mar 06, 2025 10:24 am

Not really. Since every ape with a credit/debit card has a phone, it's tempting to believe it.

And while yes, the phones do listen to key phrases like "Hey Google/Siri," and some phones like the Pixel ALWAYS pick up background music to tell you what you listened to that day, the real data comes from the life you live.

Your location is always being tracked, and visiting an orthopedic specialist will always get ads for pain recovery and joint support. Visiting a music store will get you ads for guitars and drumsticks. Visiting a McDonalds will get you ads for KFC, Burger King, etc.

Every person you meet with, chat with on a tracked app like Instagram, WhatsApp, FB Messenger, etc, also has all their tracking details neatly stored in hundreds of data caches around the world. If your friend searched for anything related to Michigan, there ya go.

Our behavior is tracked by our smart devices (and yes, this includes your smart refrigerator and smart thermostat and smart garage opener.) This is subconscious behavior for us, so we don't think about it. It's easier to jump to the conclusion that our phones are "listening," but in reality it's SO much more than just listening.

Robbie

Thu Mar 06, 2025 10:28 am

short answer is depends on your apps :

https://us.norton.com/blog/how-to/is-my-phone-listening-to-me

Thu Mar 06, 2025 10:34 am

TicTok

Thu Mar 06, 2025 10:34 am

airschooled wrote: It's easier to jump to the conclusion that our phones are "listening," but in reality it's SO much more than just listening.
Robbie

This just popped up :lol: Xatie put tinfoil on the shopping list. :wink:

Thu Mar 06, 2025 10:51 am

airschooled wrote: Not really. Since every ape with a credit/debit card has a phone, it's tempting to believe it.

And while yes, the phones do listen to key phrases like "Hey Google/Siri," and some phones like the Pixel ALWAYS pick up background music to tell you what you listened to that day, the real data comes from the life you live.

Your location is always being tracked, and visiting an orthopedic specialist will always get ads for pain recovery and joint support. Visiting a music store will get you ads for guitars and drumsticks. Visiting a McDonalds will get you ads for KFC, Burger King, etc.

Every person you meet with, chat with on a tracked app like Instagram, WhatsApp, FB Messenger, etc, also has all their tracking details neatly stored in hundreds of data caches around the world. If your friend searched for anything related to Michigan, there ya go.

Our behavior is tracked by our smart devices (and yes, this includes your smart refrigerator and smart thermostat and smart garage opener.) This is subconscious behavior for us, so we don't think about it. It's easier to jump to the conclusion that our phones are "listening," but in reality it's SO much more than just listening.

Robbie

Thing is I dont have no tracking apps, I never installed the google map location thing for instance. The videos suggested for legs was too weird, I never search for it, and even if tracked to the hospital, even to the Physical therapy dept, how did it know to send me leg videos rather than say arm, or back, or wrist videos?
This was very specific, several videos on legs and walking, none about other health issues, I never did a search for leg issues on any computer nor telephone.
I am sure this info was picked up by my phone

Creepy.

Thu Mar 06, 2025 11:18 am

Yes, they do listen to you & your conversations. I have had many instances where ads began popping up & I recalled having a conversation about something related just days before.

For instance, I had a roof damaged by a tornado, i talked to someone (not on the phone), about the roof & I started getting lots of ads for shingles.

Thu Mar 06, 2025 11:29 am

Apple to pay $95m to settle Siri 'listening' lawsuit -

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4rvr495rgo

Thu Mar 06, 2025 12:02 pm

If the phone listened in to my medical appointment, that is violation of HIPPA laws that keep medical info confidential. :oops:

Thu Mar 06, 2025 12:12 pm

Thu Mar 06, 2025 12:14 pm

TDCTDI wrote: Yes, they do listen to you & your conversations. I have had many instances where ads began popping up & I recalled having a conversation about something related just days before.

Correct.

Or should I say HEARD

Thu Mar 06, 2025 12:27 pm

Yes, all of your Smart devices are listening. The joke is that after you ask Siri and Alexa if they are listening and they reply no, as soon as you leave the room you can hear them both laughing!

Thu Mar 06, 2025 12:52 pm

If you have an android device and it responds to "Hey Google"... its listening all the time.

Same can be said for your Apple products.

Thu Mar 06, 2025 5:29 pm

Not likely...

Thu Mar 06, 2025 7:55 pm

photogdave wrote: Not likely...

Wow! That pic brings back memoies. When we finally got a phone line and phone at the house growing up, we had that same phone on the wall in the hall between the kitchen and living room. It was a party line though so we had to share it with Old Lady Muir who lived down the road who would be on it 6 to 8 hours a day.

Fri Mar 07, 2025 6:04 am

Glenn wrote: If you have an android device and it responds to "Hey Google"... its listening all the time.

Same can be said for your Apple products.

The big difference is with Apple you can turn this off, because the phone is the product. With Google, your data is the product.

Fri Mar 07, 2025 6:06 am

Absolutely the phone is listening! I phones are the only smart device we own and sometimes it's only minutes after a conversation in the (so called) privacy of our home we are flooded with ads on line for subjects we have discussed.

Fri Mar 07, 2025 6:59 am

A few years back, the wife stopped for groceries, spam in the cart, paid with a debit card, that might watching Hulu we got multiple adds for Spam . It. Is not just your phone being tracked..

Fri Mar 07, 2025 7:11 am

zerotofifty wrote: Does Your Telephone Listen and Report About You?
If it does, it would be bored to tears. I average maybe 2 calls a week.

Fri Mar 07, 2025 7:14 am

my phone only talks to people and take pictures, and a sudoku.
no internets, faceache, not even the samba.
none of it.
the absolute second my phone can go into a dumpster, that's where it's going.
l hate it, and all other technology.