So I had a verbal conversation with a coworker yesterday and now I’m getting fed very specific ads. No possible way it’s accidental. I have most of the microphone access to apps limited, I have Google assistant turned off and no VPA setup in my home. I use a Oneplus 9 pro, does anyone have recommendations on how to further root cause this or just par for the course for using any standard android OS? Have other folks had similar experience after locking down their stock phones?
Every single example of this happening is anecdotal. The people who tried to properly investigate this have not found it to be true. If you find a video of an actual serious research who proves this is true then I’ll admit that I’m wrong. Otherwise these types of posts are useless
404 Media has been investigating it. They have evidence of companies offering this service, both on their websites and through sources who say they’ve been pitched the product by company representatives. Many questions still remain but I’m not sure this issue can be dismissed as easily as it once was.
Can you summarize their findings? Did they find evidence that this is being done in the wild without opt in or disclosure?
@[email protected] you should have a listen to this as well (or read the articles it’s based on). What you are describing may not be as tinfoil as some people believe.
A few years ago, I’ve read an article where the journalists investigated this. They asked to Facebook it they actually do it and Facebook confirmed.
I saw at least one serious video about it. It was in Russian though and it’s quite old. And maybe I saw one in English too. I don’t remember. But I do believe that the microphone usage for targeted ads is true (or at least used to be true) on phones with Google apps installed