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SuzyRidr2
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Post by SuzyRidr2 »

This story is 2 years old. Who knew? I bet a lot of you didn't.

I've been saying for a long time our smart phones and possibly other devices in our homes are eavesdropping. My wife and I had noticed that we could talk about a subject in the privacy of our home and miraculously start getting fed advertisements on line about what we talked about in private. Some people I've told this to have suggested I'm paranoid and should break out the tin foil hat, but it's happened far too many times to be coincidental. Well, check out this story.

The people at Facebook don't even deny eavesdropping.
Facebook uses smartphones to listen to what people say, professor suggests

Facebook could be listening in on people’s conversations all of the time, an expert has claimed. The app might be using people’s phones to gather data on what they are talking about, it has been claimed.

Facebook says that its app does listen to what’s happening around it, but only as a way of seeing what people are listening to or watching and suggesting that they post about it.

The feature has been available for a couple of years, but recent warnings from Kelli Burns, mass communication professor at the University of South Florida, have drawn attention to it. Professor Burns has said that the tool appears to be using the audio it gathers not simply to help out users, but might be doing so to listen in to discussions and serve them with relevant advertising. She says that to test the feature, she discussed certain topics around the phone and then found that the site appeared to show relevant ads.

Though Professor Burns said she was not convinced that Facebook is listening in on conversations – it may have been that she was searching for the same things that she chose to discuss around the phone – but she said that it wouldn't be a surprising move from the site. The claim chimes with anecdotal reports online that the site appears to show ads for things that people have mentioned in passing.

Facebook said that it does listen to audio and collect information from users – but that the two aren't combined, and that sounds heard around people aren't used to decide what appears in the app. “Facebook does not use microphone audio to inform advertising or News Feed stories in any way," a spokesperson told The Independent. "Businesses are able to serve relevant ads based on people’s interests and other demographic information, but not through audio collection.”

At the moment, the feature is only available in the US. When it was first introduced, in 2014, Facebook responded to controversy by arguing that the phone isn’t “always listening” and that it never stores the “raw audio” when it is listening.

Facebook says explicitly on its help pages that it doesn’t record conversations, but that it does use the audio to identify what is happening around the phone. The site promotes the feature as an easy way of identifying what you are listening to or watching, to make it easier and quicker to post about whatever’s going on.

The rest of the story is here: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 57526.html
This story is why you don't want crap like the Facebook app on your phone. Putting their app on your phone gives them permission to do this sh*t when you tap "I agree". Of course, Facebook isn't the only one and your phone isn't the only smart device in most people's homes ... or cars anymore. Of course, they say they don't use "audio" in this manner, but I know they do. It's happened too many times to deny. They might not be "listening" in the traditional sense, but the app is and I guarantee you they could if they wanted to - if you have a working and enabled mic.

I, for one, don't put stuff like Facebook on my phone or turn on GPS tracking so they can "better serve me". I ain't putting a device on my car to record my driving habits so an insurance company can save me money either. Yes, I know it's impossible to not leave a digital footprint this day and age but at least I have the satisfaction of knowing I didn't help them out.
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Re: Facebook

Post by MadCow »

Funny you bring this up...last summer when I was working on the house and putting it on the market and also buying my dream home out in the sticks..I had complained to my wife that it seems like when we would talk about something I wanted to do, such as when I replaced the carpeting or talk about stuff in general over say, dinner...I would start noticing ads on Facebook and spam email on the very thing we were talking about usually a few days later..I told my wife I swear to god someone has a microphone in our house...or they are reading our minds. We began looking into it and concluded it's our social media apps on our phones. Which one I do not know...

I dumped my Facebook account completely and removed all social media apps from my phone ...leaving only corporate email. Fast forward a few months...moved into my new house in August and my spam went from 30+ a day of junk email down to less than 5....I haven't cleaned out my junk folder in a month and there are only 11 in there right now...

It worked!

BUT word of caution, I still think Siri on the iPhone is listening to our conversations which is why my phone stays in my office...and if I'm not in my office the door to it is closed. I don't carry it around the house...besides, when I get home from work after either being on the road and away from home all week...my phone and social media is the last thing I want...it's family time.
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Re: Facebook

Post by Cuban »

[emoji2] I'm an oddball. Tech savvy but no cell phone. I've never had one. No tinfoil hat either. :lolfall:

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Re: Facebook

Post by Designer »

Cuban wrote:[emoji2] I'm an oddball. Tech savvy but no cell phone. I've never had one. No tinfoil hat either. :lolfall:
Image
Image

Time To Ride Country Two Laners. :ShitGrinandThumb:


CENSORSHIP IS WHAT TYRANTS RESORT TO WHEN THEIR LIES LOOSE THEIR POWER. :space: MORS TYRANNIS
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Re: Facebook

Post by Tbeck »

Social media and the daily technology we use may make life easier in some respects but they are a major blow to privacy.
Also why I don't do Facebook

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Re: Facebook

Post by VRH »

I am not the tin foil hat kind a guy, but I can tell you for certain, in the IT industry, gathering data on customers is what nearly every firm does. Almost every phone app does this. It is pretty much something everyone agrees to when they download and enable the application. You don't agree, you don't get the app. It is why you can surf the web for a product and then see that same gorp on TV, cellphone adds and other web sites. This is BIG money for firms like Google, Facebook, Amazon, eBay, and every other retailer. And, unlike the government, they do it legally cause we agreed to the T&Cs. :eek:

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Re: Facebook

Post by BoDog »

Facebook sucks.

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Re: Facebook

Post by Tbeck »

always makes me laugh to read about privacy concerns when 90% of those concerned are tethered to a phone like theyll miss something if they dont carry one

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Re: Facebook

Post by Cuban »

Cuban wrote: [emoji2] I'm an oddball. Tech savvy but no cell phone. I've never had one. No tinfoil hat either. :lolfall:
Designer wrote: Image
:lolfall: :lmao: [emoji106]

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Re: Facebook

Post by Designer »

[emoji2] [space] I just couldn't resist doing it, Darryl.

(You know I am just pulling your leg) :bow:
Image

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Re: Facebook

Post by BoDog »

Designer wrote:
Cuban wrote:[emoji2] I'm an oddball. Tech savvy but no cell phone. I've never had one. No tinfoil hat either. :lolfall:
Image

“The Dude!” [emoji106]

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Re: Facebook

Post by HARRIS »

B'MEMBER THE BOOK 1984, WHERE THE TV'S WERE INTERACTIVE? THE FUTURE WAS PREDICTED WAY BACK IN 1948. CAMERAS EVERYWHERE AND THE EYE IN THE SKY FOLLOWS US ...
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Re: Facebook

Post by Cuban »

Designer wrote: [emoji2] I just couldn't resist doing it, Darryl. (You know I am just pulling your leg) :bow:
[emoji2] I know Ed. That particular gif just fits so well for so many situations... it's funny. :cheers:

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Re: Facebook

Post by BoDog »

We’ve been dealing with rumors of copycat threats on our schools all week on Facebook all week. These kids (and the adults) keep posting rumors and they quickly take on a life of their own.

Did I mention how much Facebook sucks? :hellfire:

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Re: Facebook

Post by Cuban »

BoDog wrote: We’ve been dealing with rumors of copycat threats on our schools on Facebook all week. These kids (and the adults) keep posting rumors and they quickly take on a life of their own. Did I mention how much Facebook sucks? :hellfire:
:tongue: I'm with you Mike. I stopped visting (using) Facebook once I realized how it had been co-opted by various, maliciously intended entities. You know... assholes. We're on the same page, you and I, although probably looking at it from different sides...

"Fake News"

Of course I've seen the claims that Russian operatives interfered in your last election. And I don't doubt it for a second. If I were a US citizen I'd be pissed about that, no matter which candidate won, or which lost. Hell, I'm in Canada, and I'm still pissed about it, probably because I know it could happen here as well. This sort of attack can be waged against any open democracy. It's an easy exploit.

My main issue though, and the reason I won't use Facebook anymore, is because I know this exploit doesn't even need to exist. Quite frankly, only the stupidity (ok... gullibility) of the person buying the bullshit makes it possible. It pisses me off to imagine groups of sweat pants wearing Russians swilling vodka and laughing about how they have everyone in America up in arms and arguing over some far fetched story about some stupid shit. I wanna take all these people who are using Facebook or Twitter or wherever as their 'News' source and smack their fuckin' heads together. Seriously.

As a mostly liberal leaning type person, I have to say I see wayyyyyyyy more of this 'buying the bullshit' behavior on the other side of the coin, but it must be some flaw in human nature in general which allows it at all. I don't know. I've always said that I can smell bullshit a mile away, and I still believe that. Why do I feel so alone in that belief? I generally have a good opinion of humans, but I don't get why so many can buy into such obvious BS.

I'm always disappointed when I see some of this stuff pop up here, in our own little corner of the web, but sadly, we're not exempt. And we're old guys who are supposed to know better... :tongue:

What I'm trying to say is that Social Media, especially Facebook, has been turned into an effective tool for those who wish us harm, and I'm pissed that collectively we're not smart enough to see it, let alone stop it. That's disturbing.

There's an old saying that goes something like: "A lie will travel half-way around the world before truth gets it's boots on." Sucks that it's true.

Have a good day Mike. :cheers:

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Re: Facebook

Post by RoadKing »

Want another uncomfortable fact about FB? It’s peopled be a bunch of egomaniacs who crave a freaking following. FB as a tool of communication and information could be wondrous. As a social thing? Yep, it sucks. :hellfire:
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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury…
Signifying nothing”

Signifying monkey, stay up in your tree. Always lying and signifying, but you better not monkey with me.

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Re: Facebook

Post by franktiregod »

Cuban wrote:[emoji2] I'm an oddball.
You could have stopped right there. No one would have disagreed. :fu:

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Re: Facebook

Post by hillsy »

Old people and young people don't get FB. It's kinda for the middle aged crowd now.

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Re: Facebook

Post by Cuban »

Cuban wrote: [emoji2] I'm an oddball.
franktiregod wrote: You could have stopped right there. No one would have disagreed. :fu:
lol Fuck you. :fu:

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Re: Facebook

Post by old time rider »

Frank glad he don't live with in a mile of a stock yard! He would be in a bad mood all the time. Still bet we three could have a hell of a time. :cheers: :putput: :putput: :putput:

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