Facebook is watching me!

[Richard]

I would say the truth of the matter is actually scarier than them listening to your every word

- They know where you’ve been

- They know places you’ve thought of going (map searches etc)

- They know what places you like and don’t (ratings on trip advisor, google maps, Facebook etc) Google Maps will now even give you a % probability of you likening places you’ve never even been to before on Google Maps

- They know which way you decide to drive places, the speed you drive at etc

- They know what shops you’ve been to, even how long you’ve spent in different areas of different shops

- They know what adverts you’ve seen (check that link above for proper sneakiness)

- They know how long you’ve looked at each advert online, and not just ones you click on. How long before you move past. How long before you click. Etc

- They know which YouTube videos you watch, which bits you skip, which adverts you watch which adverts you skip

- They know who you communicate with, friends/family/colleagues etc. They’ll even know or guess your relationship with these people

- They know a lot of what you’ve bought, online and IRL

They know a scary amount about you. Using this info about you, and historic details of others, they can predict what you’re interested in, before you think you show an interest in it. They’ll then serve adverts

So whilst you might think they’re listening to what you’re saying, what’s actually* happening is that Google are able to predict your behaviour and thoughts pretty well, giving these situations where people think it’s must have been listening to what they’ve been talking about.

In fact, it’d almost be preferable that they knew this stuff just from listening to you. Imagine what governments will be able to do in the future/now

It’s not exactly the same thing, but look at Cambridge Analytica, look at what they were able to do with what would seem like fairly basic info, almost entirely from just Facebook. Google have the entire internet to get info from...

(*Whilst I think it’s not beyond their abilities, they do deny it. And people would know for a fact if they did, not just anecdotal stuff. And ex or current staff would leak that they do it etc)

You can listen, if you want to all the audio clips Google have for you. I believe they’re gathered from “Hey Google” and the Google Keyboard etc. I’m also fairly sure Amazon let you listen, to their recordings, from Alexas etc

[dinny_g]

You know all this to be true and yet, another mechanism that could be used to gather information useful to Google and Facebook et al, present on every handset in every pocket all over the world, you believe whole heartily that they are behaving with integrity and NOT using it ??

[NotoriousREV]

They’re definitely listening.

[dinny_g]

No we're not...

[GG.]

So whilst you might think they’re listening to what you’re saying, what’s actually* happening is that Google are able to predict your behaviour and thoughts pretty well, giving these situations where people think it’s must have been listening to what they’ve been talking about.

This is wrong. Whilst not google - the example I noted shows that apps are actively listening. I did not google the name of the client who my colleagues were chatting to me about and I still started receiving instagram adverts for their business. I wasn't even using instagram at the time so they're clearly continually harvesting background audio information.

[GG.]

They’re definitely listening.

+1 to this

[JLv3.0]

No we're not...

Very good!!

[dinny_g]

Best I could do..,

My attempt to Register a new member called FaceBook is pending

[Mito Man]

Looks like it was my turn to be stalked today but on my YouTube app. Been getting AC ads exclusively for the first time this evening. I’ve just remembered that it must be because the word air-con was mentioned a few times at the car dealer today. I feel betrayed by my own phone

[Ascender]

The new version of iOS will highlight when an app is using your mic or bluetooth connection (to share data) so you should be able to quickly identify any dodgy apps.

Its just annoying how they can fingerprint and identify you as a user across multiple devices.

[Foz]

Let’s go and live in the woods off the land!

It’s the only safe option

[ShockDiamonds]

The new version of iOS will highlight when an app is using your mic or bluetooth connection (to share data) so you should be able to quickly identify any dodgy apps.

This is what I've been thinking about whilst reading this thread. Myself and the missus have discussed this previously too, as pretty obscure stuff has popped up hours after talking about it in the house (trampolines and coffee makers, most recently). But what I was pondering was the setting in my iPhone which permits microphone access to certain apps. Facebook, for example, is deactivated (Siri is too) and I've never set or changed that. So one wonders whether this listening is performed only once you've enabled the mic access or it listens regardless, in which case Apple and Facebook have an allegiance...? No, that's daft I know. I don't doubt they're listening, but in the presence of a setting which appears to explicitly prevent it, is there a wider conspiracy

[Ascender]

No, the one thing Apple is big on is privacy, they always have been. But if you give microphone access to an app, its possible for them to abuse it. And there's recently been apps using background refresh permissions to send back tracking information to their developers.

In iOS, unless you've jailbroken your phone (or its been hacked), an app can't use the microphone to listen unless you've given it permission to. There's obviously still some trust there... And how much does anybody trust Facebook?

If they had been abusing their mic access on iOS, I've no doubt someone would have found it by now.

What the new version of iOS will let you see is every time an app is using the microphone, so it will give you a visual indicator which should let you identify any suspicious activity.

[unzippy]

My phone keeps telling me Facebook is draining the battery because of bluetooth scanning. WTF does Fb do with bluetooth?

[Ascender]

My phone keeps telling me Facebook is draining the battery because of bluetooth scanning. WTF does Fb do with bluetooth?

Probably location tracking using wifi and bluetooth to work out your position... and then sell your info on to others or serve you targeted ads.

I think iOS 13 is going to highlight when they're doing that too.

[Richard]

My phone keeps telling me Facebook is draining the battery because of bluetooth scanning. WTF does Fb do with bluetooth?

Probably location tracking using wifi and bluetooth to work out your position... and then sell your info on to others or serve you targeted ads.

I think iOS 13 is going to highlight when they're doing that too.

Probably that and yes iOS 13 does tell you about that

BT scanning to see who you’re near etc probably

I don’t know if FB do it, but Google use BT Beacons for tracking how long you stay in shop, and even how you move around certain shops. That data can then be used by retailers to see how store layouts, different POS elements and deals can change shopping behaviours. It’s fascinating stuff

I wonder how much data storage google or Facebook have.

[Ascender]

FB must do it - I hardly use their app now but if I'm traveling I always get a "welcome to x" with suggestions about what's on.

The beacons are interesting, we were looking in to them for use in a Bank, its amazing what you can do with them and the possibilities from a retail and customer service point of view.

[unzippy]

I wonder how much data storage google or Facebook have.

All of it!

[Ascender]

I never realised that Apple have taken to hiding the exact percentage of battery capacity left as companies were trying to use that to fingerprint you and your device too.

[Jobbo]

I never realised that Apple have taken to hiding the exact percentage of battery capacity left as companies were trying to use that to fingerprint you and your device too.

Hiding it? I thought they just removed the number on the notched phones because there wasn't space to show it, but it's visible when you swipe down.