Do smartphones eavesdrop on conversations? New evidence says yes

You’ve probably already noticed that smartphones hear a lot more than their manufacturers claim they do. Have you ever discussed a new tech product with a colleague only to start seeing ads for that product in apps like Instagram and Facebook? It’s spooky when it happens.

And while people have shared anecdotes like this over the past several years, no one has ever really proven that phones eavesdrop on us like that. Phones aren’t allowed to eavesdrop on us like that… right?

Well, journalists from 404 Media recently found evidence that companies like Amazon and Google do listen in on everything.

Ad targeting via “active listening”

The revelatory report centers around Cox Media Group (CMG), which offers a technology called “Active Listening.” This is a tool that records and analyzes all conversations picked up by smartphone microphones and converts them into advertising suggestions.

CMG advertises this service and has already worked with Facebook, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft in the past. It’s implied that these companies either used the service or at least knew that it existed.

Related: Why are tech companies so willfully bad at privacy?

It’s not just smartphones, either

In fact, the technology goes beyond just the microphones on smartphones and includes other smart devices like TVs and speakers. Any device with voice recognition has the potential to be used for active listening, with or without the owner’s knowledge or consent.

We’ve always been told that voice recognition is only active for a short period after wake words like “Alexa” and “Hey Google” are spoken. But if these devices are always listening, the constant eavesdropping would have far-reaching consequences for user privacy and consumer behaviors, which are significantly influenced by advertising.

Company spokespeople deny participation

When Mashable asked companies like Meta whether they were aware of CMG’s Active Listening capabilities and whether they’d actively used it, a spokesperson explained that this wasn’t the case. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft also denied that they’d ever used the solution.

But the fact is, the capability exists and it’d be foolish to think that companies wouldn’t exploit it if it meant more effective advertising and a positive impact to their bottom lines.

We’ve seen time and time again that companies will push the boundaries of what many would consider to be unethical. For example, Amazon Alexa can save recordings and send them to Amazon for further processing instead of deleting them directly as originally intended.

Related: Amazon privacy settings you should change ASAP

Obtaining first-party data about potential buyers has become more valuable than ever, and the advertising industry can’t continue to grow and prosper without targeted advertising. As companies are backed further into corners, CMG’s Active Listening looks ever more enticing.

How can you protect your privacy?

For starters, we can assume (at least for now) that phones need to be switched on in order to actively listen. We can also assume that you need to be near the microphone for it to cleanly pick up what you’re saying.

So, as a precaution, pay attention to how often you’re in the immediate vicinity of your phone and treat it as if it’s always listening to you. If your phone is in your hand, on your desk, or even in your pocket, assume that it’s listening and don’t say anything you wouldn’t want heard.

If you want to chat about something and don’t want to be eavesdropped on, turn off your phone and smart devices — or move away and chat outside of microphone range. Get used to not relying on your tech! (It’s also just a good idea to turn off your phone every so often.)