Coincidences? Are they listening?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: moraira,spain-Norfolk, UK
Age: 80
Posts: 387
Coincidences? Are they listening?
Recently wife & I discussed returning to NZ. Next day looking at newspaper online
a sidebar popped up from NZ immigration informing me of regulation for importing
various things.
A few days ago we discussed TV license. Last communication with those people,
a while ago, they told me to do nothing until I get a letter from them. Today the letter
arrived.
I asked my phone if it listens to me, it says not, but obviously it does otherwise
how does it know to respond.
a sidebar popped up from NZ immigration informing me of regulation for importing
various things.
A few days ago we discussed TV license. Last communication with those people,
a while ago, they told me to do nothing until I get a letter from them. Today the letter
arrived.
I asked my phone if it listens to me, it says not, but obviously it does otherwise
how does it know to respond.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: South Oxfordshire
Posts: 621
I haven't had personal experience of this with my mobile phone (Android), but I have seen it on a number of occasions with my daughter's iPhone.
We have tested it by deliberately talking about subjects unlikely to pop up randomly as adverts - Elvis Presley going to the zoo or something like that. Very shortly afterwards, adverts for London Zoo and Elvis Presley albums appear.
We have tested it by deliberately talking about subjects unlikely to pop up randomly as adverts - Elvis Presley going to the zoo or something like that. Very shortly afterwards, adverts for London Zoo and Elvis Presley albums appear.
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: back out to Grasse
Posts: 460
Absolutely it listens.
Friends have set up calls to test the theory by included words in a call that were totally unrelated to their conversation or previous searches and texts.
If I remember correctly, callers agreed prior to include a phrase regarding a visit to Istanbul, a city which neither of them had any intention of visiting, and a couple of other fake comments.
Shortly afterwards the caller received advertising for holidays in Turkey. Coincidence? Other fake comments made did not generate a response.
Makes you think,
IG
Friends have set up calls to test the theory by included words in a call that were totally unrelated to their conversation or previous searches and texts.
If I remember correctly, callers agreed prior to include a phrase regarding a visit to Istanbul, a city which neither of them had any intention of visiting, and a couple of other fake comments.
Shortly afterwards the caller received advertising for holidays in Turkey. Coincidence? Other fake comments made did not generate a response.
Makes you think,
IG
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 58
Posts: 9,859
I have an Android and a laptop...
One day a couple of years ago, I was thinking, just thinking mind, of buying some castors to make up a furniture skateboard and what should pop up from Amazon on the "tailored" ads on PPRuNe and elsewhere...
Yes I did buy some to build my skate and very useful it is too!
One day a couple of years ago, I was thinking, just thinking mind, of buying some castors to make up a furniture skateboard and what should pop up from Amazon on the "tailored" ads on PPRuNe and elsewhere...
Yes I did buy some to build my skate and very useful it is too!
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 13,728
My wife suggested that she would like a “smart speaker” a couple of Christmases ago. Santa obliged. After too many “strange coincidences” she is now convinced that “Hey Siri” listens to what goes on here and she leaves his mains cable unplugged most of the time.
Let’s face it, the Soviet Union admitted years afterwards that they had TV sets that looked and listened, so it’s entirely feasible that there’s more to some of these electronic devices than meets the eye.
The bigger question is who is listening to them.
Let’s face it, the Soviet Union admitted years afterwards that they had TV sets that looked and listened, so it’s entirely feasible that there’s more to some of these electronic devices than meets the eye.
The bigger question is who is listening to them.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 13,932
Originally Posted by ShyTorque
My wife suggested that she would like a “smart speaker” a couple of Christmases ago. Santa obliged. After too many “strange coincidences” she is now convinced that “Hey Siri” listens to what goes on here and she leaves his mains cable unplugged most of the time.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Just north of Chester, UK.
Posts: 271
It is your phone, but it's one behalf of somebody else. After adverts started popping up online after a random discussion about housesitting, I dug into my settings and discovered that the google app had been given permission to use the microphone on my phone (no doubt the default setting) - now disabled, of course!
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 127
Don't have a smartphone or speaker but, on the basis of this thread, checked and found that my laptop mic was live. Fixed that, and the camera.
On reflection, I know its made some very poor decisions recently, but it has given me its complete assurance that its work will be back to normal. It still has the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in the mission.
I feel much better now, I really do.
On reflection, I know its made some very poor decisions recently, but it has given me its complete assurance that its work will be back to normal. It still has the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in the mission.
I feel much better now, I really do.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Posts: 172
We watched "The Social Dilemma" on Netflix a while back. May not be 100 true, but opened our eyes.
About half way though, we paused it, picked up our matching phones and search "car rental", the responses were slightly different between the two phones. Tried "dog food", same result.
Guess what showed up here and on other of my feeds? Car rental and dog food.
About half way though, we paused it, picked up our matching phones and search "car rental", the responses were slightly different between the two phones. Tried "dog food", same result.
Guess what showed up here and on other of my feeds? Car rental and dog food.
See and avoid
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 591
I was in front of Alexa when I told the person I was talking to about a friend’s heart attack. Alexa immediately chimed in with a list of heart attack symptoms.
Alexa is not supposed to eavesdrop unless you say, “Alexa” out loud beforehand.
Alexa is not supposed to eavesdrop unless you say, “Alexa” out loud beforehand.
See and avoid
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 591
In addition, many websites use Google as their search engine when you try to find something on their site.
Google (and Facebook) cheerfully harvests every scrap of information it can about you to try to pitch targeted advertising. It’s how they make money.
Google (and Facebook) cheerfully harvests every scrap of information it can about you to try to pitch targeted advertising. It’s how they make money.
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 1,523
I don't understand ... I've probably been short-changed ! I've tried shouting, whispering, and all levels in between and, ... nothing ! I pick it up and all I get is that infernal background buzz, no adverts, no pictures - and nothing when I put it back on its cradle, either. Should I unplug it or just accept that it's duff ?
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: NV
Age: 74
Posts: 163
The only way to stop devices from listening is to physically disconnect the microphone. A software off switch can be ignored or overridden.
I also would not put it past the manufacturers from using the flat surfaces (screen or back side) as a microphone independent of the actual discrete microphone.
Even paranoids have real enemies.
I also would not put it past the manufacturers from using the flat surfaces (screen or back side) as a microphone independent of the actual discrete microphone.
Even paranoids have real enemies.
Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
Posts: 1,178
Originally Posted by treadigraph
I have an Android and a laptop...
One day a couple of years ago, I was thinking, just thinking mind, of buying some castors to make up a furniture skateboard and what should pop up from Amazon on the "tailored" ads on PPRuNe and elsewhere...
Yes I did buy some to build my skate and very useful it is too!
One day a couple of years ago, I was thinking, just thinking mind, of buying some castors to make up a furniture skateboard and what should pop up from Amazon on the "tailored" ads on PPRuNe and elsewhere...
Yes I did buy some to build my skate and very useful it is too!
That said, some of the helpful ads on here have been a shade intriguing....such as various styles of women's clothing, including some, ahem, specialist apparel, some very thoughtful ads helping me emigrate to Ecuador, Colombia and Turkey, not locations that I've given a lot of thought to relocating to let alone searched about.
However, ask Alexa "why is Trump such and asshole ? " or, " are you stoned out of your mind ? " when she gives an inane or incorrect answer....the inflection response is "somewhat indignant "
The hovel is an Alexa free zone, these questions posed at a friends ...so that's her now registered as a troublemaker I suppose
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 13,728
Originally Posted by DaveReidUK
Hard to imagine how the device is supposed to respond to "Hey Siri" if it's not listening to everything that's said.
See and avoid
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 591
I use
https://duckduckgo.com
as a default search engine. Supposedly, they protect your privacy, but given that they don’t rely on ads, I don’t know how they stay in business.
But as I mentioned above, many other websites rely on Google as their default search engine.
https://duckduckgo.com
as a default search engine. Supposedly, they protect your privacy, but given that they don’t rely on ads, I don’t know how they stay in business.
But as I mentioned above, many other websites rely on Google as their default search engine.
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: back out to Grasse
Posts: 460
One will remember that a couple of years ago some members of staff at the Big River were listening to activities taking place in the homes of people who had the box. Having a laugh - they said!!!!
I doubt things have changed:
Listening In
IG
I doubt things have changed:
Listening In
IG
See and avoid
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 591
An inane aspect about Amazon is that once you have purchased a specific item from them, which probably won’t fall to pieces within a few days, is that they keep suggesting that you buy it again….
Hello? Can’t you tell that you already shipped me the said product and I don’t need two of them?
Hello? Can’t you tell that you already shipped me the said product and I don’t need two of them?
