The Truth Behind Your Phone's Listening Habits: Debunking the Ad Conspiracy
Cybersecurity experts and tech giants like Facebook and Google have repeatedly denied claims that phones actively listen to conversations to serve targeted ads. While phones have the technical ability to listen for wake words, they are not allowed to secretly log conversations. Instead, companies like Meta and Google rely on the vast amount of data they already have about users, including age, gender, location, interests, and search history, to serve personalized ads. Our brains also play a role in the perception of targeted ads, as we tend to notice matches that align with our current thoughts and interests while disregarding instances when ads don't align. Until solid evidence emerges, the most likely explanation for targeted ads is a combination of data patterns, biases, and chance.