You are the product. Corporations spying on us deeper than we thought?

[justdimin]

I dont know if i do have noticed this one or just simply that missed out on having that kind of recommendation after you have some conversation which you are really that near with your phone and suddenly those things that you've been mentioning turns out on getting heard of on which recommendations pop out like magic. I might try this one if ever it did really make out such action because it is really just that too impossible that
these recommendations would pop up since you arent really making some searches into your device on which it would really be that something understandable but we've mentioned out as if our phones does have some
ears then it is really that quite alarming.Im not really that shocked though about monitoring or something but in the extent that even we arent been using our phones as it seems like they do have ears on what
we are saying or what are the things that we are really mentioning.

I would come back and tell if this one really becomes real or something that really works. If it does then it would really be alarming and i might really be that
taking my phone too far when conversing someone about. I dont really like for everything would really be heard of.

I am not entirely sure if it's true, I do not have any data to point something like that, but I can definitely tell you that it has happened to me as well. This doesn't mean that we are being listened because it could very well be coincidence as well but that doesn't mean that we are just having these type of things at all times.

I mean it would be quite dangerous for a company to listen to your conversation, even if not like with literally a person, they do not have people around the world listening to your stuff lol, but they do probably have some machines with keywords and when they hear those keywords they may send some ads, and that might be true but that's a HUGE trouble, if unearthed and proven, they could be sued for their entire worth and bankrupt. This is why I honestly think that even though it has happened to me as well and it's not impossible, we are talking about a situation that has to be quite important to have some better judgement.

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[uchegod-21]

Ok, everybody knows we are being spied on by the corporations like Google, Meta, Microsoft etc. That's a pretty well-known fact and is generally accepted by the public. However, I started noticing some alarming facts recently: I am being offered stuff I mention while I'm on the phone. Then, I noticed they're offering stuff I mention while chatting with my family while the phone is located somewhere in the room.

Finally, what's really scary, today I was talking to someone (while my phone was nearby) regarding a car key. I started using my phone a bit later and I was shocked to find out there's an ad containing the very same Merc key we were discussing and I was holding in my hands! Then suddenly I realized this is not the first time something like that happens. Which means that the phone is listening? (recording?) to our conversations and possibly also filming the whole thing?

Can we discuss it? Perhaps I'm overreacting or being paranoid and there's a simple explanation for this?   

I  noticed this way back in 2019. After having a conversation with my colleagues at work about a certain item we should get, I went online to do a few stuff and hey! Different brands of the items we talked about were displayed as ads. This broadened my curiosity,  how do they get this information?

Seeing this again on this platform and with the similar experiences from different people, it is obvious we are being  spied on! Come to think of it, what were we expecting when we ignorantly agree to terms and conditions that grant permissions to Applications to have access to our calls, messages, galleries and others on our devices? As long as we keep granting permissions, nothing changes.

[serveria.com]

Can we discuss it? Perhaps I'm overreacting or being paranoid and there's a simple explanation for this?   

You're not overreacting or being paranoid. I've had countless "coincidences" (not really coincidences) where what is mentioned in conversation is either appearing on my, or a friend/family member's point of advertising after conversation. It's happened so many times that it's proven rather than conspiracy at this stage (mostly IOS in recallable circumstances)

If you want to confirm it yourself, pick a random, advertiseable product and repeat it in a conversation form, I am sure you will see shortly after that your google ads, Facebook feed, or whatever targets you primarily for advertising will start to show results relating to it.

For example...
"I am really considering catching a flight to the Antarctic to see penguins but I can't find out if that's possible"
"I am really wondering if I can go and walk with penguins in the Antarctic"
"I would pay any amount of money to go and see penguins somewhere, I've never seen one before!"
"I wonder if I can pay someone to pet a penguin"

You can be sure that saying the above a few times in either conversation or just in a room where your phone also sits, that you'll start seeing ads relating to any of the following shortly after or over the coming days:
- Visiting penguins
- Flights to the Antarctic or tours there
- A zoo that has penguins

Zoo, flights and penguins are not standard advertisements...so if they come up, you can be sure that the ad was targeted because of what you said.

Try it and report back with results

Good suggestion, I think I will try this. But IMHO the keywords should be somewhat more down-to-earth so there's a match in their AI system (if one exists). Because if no one is offering tours to the Antarctic in my area there will can be no match and no ad will be delivered. I will try to think of something more realistic which could trigger the ads.

[panganib999]

Corporations are in a way indeed spying on us. But not on some V for Vendetta or whatever sinister bs like what some people think these companies do. For the most part, the information that you willingly give out to their websites and social media channels in the form of cookies (trackers) are sent to them, and are being gauged to better align your ad algorithms with the products that they can give out. Meaning you get targeted ads for products that you're either interested about for a very long time now, or are just thinking on a whim.

Now, are there spies on the internet that are doing far more sinister things? For sure, some CCTV cameras with bluetooth and wifi functionality are easily trackable with a simple key strokes and google searches, not to mention governnments spying on their citizens as well, like the FBI meme but real and far more scary. Now those are the things that you actually should be afraid of.

[Marvell1]

...

I exactly agree with your statement, using their application obviously would give them access to your data and information, if you are using the legal and licensed app for sure they wouldn't use it against you like blackmailing and leaking, but if you are using apps that are illegal for sure these cases are possible, worse is they might be criminals and stalkers would go to in front of your house.

For sure they can gather the information they might record your history like for the marketplace online, therefore they would give you advertisements and recommend similar items from what you have searched.  By simply using a delivery app they could already track your locations could already alarming, but yeah that is the trade you would get by using their product or app, they can email you advertisements, announcements etc.

It can be said that we will have no way to avoid them eavesdropping and collecting our information because that is the way for them to generate income and create products that they call providing us for free. And you are right, the only thing we can do is to avoid using unofficial apps and illegal apps to avoid unwanted problems. As for official apps, we should feel completely secure when using them and of course, they are collecting our information and we should accept that.

[DrBeer]

Ok, everybody knows we are being spied on by the corporations like Google, Meta, Microsoft etc. That's a pretty well-known fact and is generally accepted by the public. However, I started noticing some alarming facts recently: I am being offered stuff I mention while I'm on the phone. Then, I noticed they're offering stuff I mention while chatting with my family while the phone is located somewhere in the room.

Finally, what's really scary, today I was talking to someone (while my phone was nearby) regarding a car key. I started using my phone a bit later and I was shocked to find out there's an ad containing the very same Merc key we were discussing and I was holding in my hands! Then suddenly I realized this is not the first time something like that happens. Which means that the phone is listening? (recording?) to our conversations and possibly also filming the whole thing?

Can we discuss it? Perhaps I'm overreacting or being paranoid and there's a simple explanation for this?   

There is nothing surprising or unexpected here. Devices collect all the information that is available to them, directly or indirectly interacting with you. If previously this was limited only to your search queries, now everything that can be received from the user gets there, including voice processing, because devices that are excellent in terms of performance have appeared, as well as equally high-tech solutions for voice recognition. This all then turns into a set of data, your “consumer portrait”, for more accurate search and delivery of advertising to you, for maximum conversion. Moreover, no one seems to be hiding this (if you CAREFULLY and COMPLETELY read the end-user license agreement, you will learn a lot of interesting things), although it does not openly say “we will listen to your microphone” but is veiledly presented as “all the information collected about you.”

The real problem is if this data is personalized, tied to the real data of the person and can be used not only for advertising and not only by the platform owners... I think if the information that a certain company (Let there be Hoogle) comes to light, then the Hoogle company will simply be torn apart in the courts into small particles and it will simply cease to exist due to total bankruptcy...

[passwordnow]

I  noticed this way back in 2019. After having a conversation with my colleagues at work about a certain item we should get, I went online to do a few stuff and hey! Different brands of the items we talked about were displayed as ads. This broadened my curiosity,  how do they get this information?

Seeing this again on this platform and with the similar experiences from different people, it is obvious we are being  spied on! Come to think of it, what were we expecting when we ignorantly agree to terms and conditions that grant permissions to Applications to have access to our calls, messages, galleries and others on our devices? As long as we keep granting permissions, nothing changes.

That's why there are content creators that are making fun of these spying apps and devices. Like for China, the brands that they have for Huawei, Xiaomi, ZTE, and other known brands came from them. There's always a debate not to use them but why not when most of the manufacturers of devices are found there.

We don't know what they inject into their chipsets what they are using to program it and the contents of it. That's why we're no way out from these spying and just disable like the suggestions of the other members here the microphone you have and don't forget that you're always located even by Google, even our moves from streets to streets.

We are their products, they track us anytime, they know where we can be found and what we like.

[BenCodie]

Can we discuss it? Perhaps I'm overreacting or being paranoid and there's a simple explanation for this?   

You're not overreacting or being paranoid. I've had countless "coincidences" (not really coincidences) where what is mentioned in conversation is either appearing on my, or a friend/family member's point of advertising after conversation. It's happened so many times that it's proven rather than conspiracy at this stage (mostly IOS in recallable circumstances)

If you want to confirm it yourself, pick a random, advertiseable product and repeat it in a conversation form, I am sure you will see shortly after that your google ads, Facebook feed, or whatever targets you primarily for advertising will start to show results relating to it.

For example...
"I am really considering catching a flight to the Antarctic to see penguins but I can't find out if that's possible"
"I am really wondering if I can go and walk with penguins in the Antarctic"
"I would pay any amount of money to go and see penguins somewhere, I've never seen one before!"
"I wonder if I can pay someone to pet a penguin"

You can be sure that saying the above a few times in either conversation or just in a room where your phone also sits, that you'll start seeing ads relating to any of the following shortly after or over the coming days:
- Visiting penguins
- Flights to the Antarctic or tours there
- A zoo that has penguins

Zoo, flights and penguins are not standard advertisements...so if they come up, you can be sure that the ad was targeted because of what you said.

Try it and report back with results

Good suggestion, I think I will try this. But IMHO the keywords should be somewhat more down-to-earth so there's a match in their AI system (if one exists). Because if no one is offering tours to the Antarctic in my area there will can be no match and no ad will be delivered. I will try to think of something more realistic which could trigger the ads.

You're probably right and a very fair point. I am sure you can come up with something just as random, but a bit more realistic for there to be an advertisement for.

Can we discuss it? Perhaps I'm overreacting or being paranoid and there's a simple explanation for this?   

You're not overreacting or being paranoid. I've had countless "coincidences" (not really coincidences) where what is mentioned in conversation is either appearing on my, or a friend/family member's point of advertising after conversation. It's happened so many times that it's proven rather than conspiracy at this stage (mostly IOS in recallable circumstances)

If you want to confirm it yourself, pick a random, advertiseable product and repeat it in a conversation form, I am sure you will see shortly after that your google ads, Facebook feed, or whatever targets you primarily for advertising will start to show results relating to it.

For example...
"I am really considering catching a flight to the Antarctic to see penguins but I can't find out if that's possible"
"I am really wondering if I can go and walk with penguins in the Antarctic"
"I would pay any amount of money to go and see penguins somewhere, I've never seen one before!"
"I wonder if I can pay someone to pet a penguin"

You can be sure that saying the above a few times in either conversation or just in a room where your phone also sits, that you'll start seeing ads relating to any of the following shortly after or over the coming days:
- Visiting penguins
- Flights to the Antarctic or tours there
- A zoo that has penguins

Zoo, flights and penguins are not standard advertisements...so if they come up, you can be sure that the ad was targeted because of what you said.

Try it and report back with results

I dont know if i do have noticed this one or just simply that missed out on having that kind of recommendation after you have some conversation which you are really that near with your phone and suddenly those things that you've been mentioning turns out on getting heard of on which recommendations pop out like magic. I might try this one if ever it did really make out such action because it is really just that too impossible that
these recommendations would pop up since you arent really making some searches into your device on which it would really be that something understandable but we've mentioned out as if our phones does have some
ears then it is really that quite alarming.Im not really that shocked though about monitoring or something but in the extent that even we arent been using our phones as it seems like they do have ears on what
we are saying or what are the things that we are really mentioning.

I would come back and tell if this one really becomes real or something that really works. If it does then it would really be alarming and i might really be that
taking my phone too far when conversing someone about. I dont really like for everything would really be heard of.

Like serveria said, you might have more luck with something a bit more realistic. This was just a very "out there" thing that I could come up with from the top of my head.

I know that for a fact it will definitely work with iOS and Facebook newsfeed, of course, on a standard phone where settings are not hardened and blocks are not in place to ensure that this doesn't work (if there is anything like that, not sure). I am not sure about android.

[Synchronice]

Ok, everybody knows we are being spied on by the corporations like Google, Meta, Microsoft etc. That's a pretty well-known fact and is generally accepted by the public. However, I started noticing some alarming facts recently: I am being offered stuff I mention while I'm on the phone. Then, I noticed they're offering stuff I mention while chatting with my family while the phone is located somewhere in the room.

Finally, what's really scary, today I was talking to someone (while my phone was nearby) regarding a car key. I started using my phone a bit later and I was shocked to find out there's an ad containing the very same Merc key we were discussing and I was holding in my hands! Then suddenly I realized this is not the first time something like that happens. Which means that the phone is listening? (recording?) to our conversations and possibly also filming the whole thing?

Can we discuss it? Perhaps I'm overreacting or being paranoid and there's a simple explanation for this?   

Strange, to be honest, I thought they were only tracking and giving results according to what you were typing in search engines and browsers, meta and google have partnered to share data with each-other but couldn't imagine if they were so rude.

That is why it's essential to not give apps a lot of permissions such as recording and camera especially if that app won't even use those things for it to function. It's been known that Google, Meta, and Amazon use your device's recording capabilities to allow for a more personalized ads that you are more likely to be lured at. Ever wonder why companies pay Google big bucks to use their Google Analytics platform? There's a lot that these corporations can do because we allow them to, albeit unknowingly, of coursez since most of them are hidden in layers of text that a normal person won't likely read anyway.

Do you think they are frank when you disallow them to access your mic and camera? I think that is just a formal part which gives you a false sense of security. They spy on you anyways, doesn't matter what you allow or disallow them.

[Kakmakr]

You are not imagining it, these companies are definitely recording and monitoring people's discussions. I sometimes test this and I discuss something on purpose and like you said... within an hour or two... ads will pop up.. based on what we discussed. (try talking about Solar and see what happens)

This is not done by humans, AI are definitely behind this ..so it is not mass surveillance, but rather targeted marketing. I guess they have to use something that will generate an income for all those services we are getting for FREE. 

[MarjorieZimmermanGinger]

Strange, to be honest, I thought they were only tracking and giving results according to what you were typing in search engines and browsers, meta and google have partnered to share data with each-other but couldn't imagine if they were so rude.

I agree more with what you are talking about, where what we search for will provide results to search engines in browsers, Google or other media. This means that what we see, the machine will give similar commands and this action is not rude in my opinion because of the how the algorithm works found in the current media.

That is why it's essential to not give apps a lot of permissions such as recording and camera especially if that app won't even use those things for it to function. It's been known that Google, Meta, and Amazon use your device's recording capabilities to allow for a more personalized ads that you are more likely to be lured at. Ever wonder why companies pay Google big bucks to use their Google Analytics platform? There's a lot that these corporations can do because we allow them to, albeit unknowingly, of coursez since most of them are hidden in layers of text that a normal person won't likely read anyway.

Do you think they are frank when you disallow them to access your mic and camera? I think that is just a formal part which gives you a false sense of security. They spy on you anyways, doesn't matter what you allow or disallow them.

Without spying, they can still access our data, especially when registering, you are required to do KYC. So at this stage we have to understand that to maintain the level of security we have to be the ones to guard it because they will easily steal whatever they want even without spying or asking the user for permission. There are many frauds not carried out by application developers, but by third parties who try to take advantage of people who do not understand how the system works.

[serveria.com]

You are not imagining it, these companies are definitely recording and monitoring people's discussions. I sometimes test this and I discuss something on purpose and like you said... within an hour or two... ads will pop up.. based on what we discussed. (try talking about Solar and see what happens)

This is not done by humans, AI are definitely behind this ..so it is not mass surveillance, but rather targeted marketing. I guess they have to use something that will generate an income for all those services we are getting for FREE.  

Exactly, this is what I'm talking about. But we're not getting anything for free anyway. Youtube is full of ads, you launch some playlist and literally forget what the last song/video was! It's not rare to see 5-6 ads in between the playlist items. FB is also plagued with ads, Instagram a bit less but also increasing. Google sometimes has more sponsored listings than organic nowadays. So, these guys are earning BILLIONS but it seems they can't have enough.

Today, something even scarier happened: I'm starting a new business venture and I was briefly operating a machine used to manufacture some goods. My phone was in my pocket and I was alone in the room. Then I saw the machine had a defective part. I stopped it and eventually left the premises and forgot about it. You can't imagine how surprised I was when I fired up ebay app on my phone and the first suggestion was the exact part which malfunctioned earlier that day! What kind of black magic is that? FFS I didn't even know what it's called until I saw it selling on ebay!    

[macson]

I  noticed this way back in 2019. After having a conversation with my colleagues at work about a certain item we should get, I went online to do a few stuff and hey! Different brands of the items we talked about were displayed as ads. This broadened my curiosity,  how do they get this information?

Seeing this again on this platform and with the similar experiences from different people, it is obvious we are being  spied on! Come to think of it, what were we expecting when we ignorantly agree to terms and conditions that grant permissions to Applications to have access to our calls, messages, galleries and others on our devices? As long as we keep granting permissions, nothing changes.

In fact, this has already been discussed in a forum related to user privacy and it is clear that if you agree to an application accessing your memory card, your calls and also your audio then they will definitely collect all your search data and interests so far, application developers actually aim to make more money by placing advertisements on their apk, because only that way they can have more income than just expecting from VIP users.  As long as you don't search for items or things you are interested in in your smartphone browser and don't give random permission to the applications you install, your privacy is safe and you won't be able to be tracked.

[umbara ardian]

I feel like I live in a world where everything we do is tracked. Google knows what I'm talking to my wife about, Amazon knows what I'm shopping for, and YouTube knows what I'm watching. I don't know if I should feel like I'm being watched or just a number in a crowd. But I know I don't like that.

Although I know that I cannot completely eliminate being tracked. But I can try to limit the sharing of my personal information and use privacy protections. I can also try to raise awareness of this issue and urge companies to change the way they use our data.

[coupable]

I read all the comments on this topic and noticed that all the commentators complain about these practices that most applications on the Internet follow. But at the same time, they do not offer alternatives if we want to establish an Internet that maintains privacy while providing an enjoyable browsing experience, as is happening today.
Also, users can limit this close monitoring by changing their browsing behavior by verifying the information that is shared with any application and avoiding using unknown applications.

[Lorence.xD]

I read all the comments on this topic and noticed that all the commentators complain about these practices that most applications on the Internet follow. But at the same time, they do not offer alternatives if we want to establish an Internet that maintains privacy while providing an enjoyable browsing experience, as is happening today.
Also, users can limit this close monitoring by changing their browsing behavior by verifying the information that is shared with any application and avoiding using unknown applications.

Well, I think people are already aware of the Internet especially when it comes to using websites or applications that could contain your data and private information. As I said, it's normal for them to gather your data as you are one of their users, and as a registered and legal app, their job is to protect and secure that information. If people or users are not that satisfied yet with the application-provided security, I think it is already their responsibility to take measures to secure their data for example, using a VPN, changing the settings such as blocking unwanted emails, downloading anti-virus to avoid unwanted files to go to your system that might cause hackers to get hands on your data.

[so98nn]

Oh wow good to know that I am not the only one getting spied. So are we all in the same boat? But what about the technicians who are working on such projects? Why don't they make a voice against such technology they must know to what extent things are recorded or seen by their tech companies. I mean they must know that they are also tracked, isn't it?

I am not going nuts here but you know what sometimes I have "thought about" a few things and the next thing I saw on my phone was the same thing. Can you guys relate to this process? How is it possible? Or are we so much surrounded by technology these days that we are ending up in psychological circles where what we think and what we see is getting just normal things every day.

It's crazy and nah you are not paranoid. I have literally stopped using my Alexa after I have seen how it keeps listening to the conversation in the background. Horrifying. 

[electronicash]

i'm not sure if they are only listening. i noticed that even the things i was thinking. not even say a word about something that i was thinking yet the ads appeared as if they knew what i was thinking. believe it or not. it's happening!   stop memorizing your seed phrase!  

really crazy i was just thinking of buying a saw that i will cut the branches that overshadow the house roof. so i was looking at the branches and when i got inside to once again check my Facebook, the ads about this kind of saw appeared.

[JunaidAzizi]

Can we discuss it? Perhaps I'm overreacting or being paranoid and there's a simple explanation for this.   

Yes, it is true and I experienced it many times. Once I started talking about my laptop that was old and wanted to buy another one for my work but I just talked about not making any decisions to buy it right now. After an hour I took my phone and went to Facebook to see new updates and I saw that after some time I saw one advertisement for a laptop the first time I didn't notice but when I went to some other plate forum and saw the same things happened then I came to know that yeah I talk an hour ago about the laptop.

I confirmed this from a person who was CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai. He said that Google is always listening to you and when you say something like that google puts it to you because of the advertisement. So be careful with that if Google uses your microphone and camera then definitely it will be easy for the hacker to steal your data through it.

[wajik-tempe]

i'm not sure if they are only listening. i noticed that even the things i was thinking. not even say a word about something that i was thinking yet the ads appeared as if they knew what i was thinking. believe it or not. it's happening!   stop memorizing your seed phrase!  

really crazy i was just thinking of buying a saw that i will cut the branches that overshadow the house roof. so i was looking at the branches and when i got inside to once again check my Facebook, the ads about this kind of saw appeared.

The scenario you describe raises legitimate worries regarding the extent to which technology corporations gather and monitor data. To forecast preferences, computers may evaluate not just spoken words but also written inputs and human behavior. While firms frequently deny active eavesdropping, the complexities of data monitoring and ad targeting algorithms necessitate continual study and debate in order to better comprehend the privacy implications of our increasingly linked digital lives.