So this post was inspired by something that happened to my husband this past week. He picked up a 12-pack of water at the gas station because yes, we are too snobby to drink faucet water. When he got home he flipped open his iPad and discovered he was getting targeted ads for water. Though I’m still researching why this happened to him, I came across something interesting. Our phones are spying on us and it’s actually legal.
What the hell Hot Mess? How do you know this?
I know this because I Googled it.
Did you think I went to my set of encyclopedias for info like this? I haven’t had encyclopedias since I was a child. For those of you born after the internet, encyclopedias are books…..OMG…I have to go deeper into my explanation. Ok stay with me. A book is made of paper and is bound together usually by glue or thread. Once you’ve completed reading one page, you turn it over and read the back of the page. You do this till you get to the last page. A set of encyclopedias was our internet. It had as much info as the writers knew at the time of publishing.
Alphonso
So from my understanding, there is a software associated with many, many popular apps called Alphonso. When you download an app and grant it permission to your microphone, this software will listen to your surroundings to see what you are watching on tv. They then sell this info to advertisers. This in turns is the reason why you may see more targeted ads on your phone.
Tell Your Phone to Stop Being Nosy!
If you don’t want this software taking audio snippets of you binge watching Shitt’s Creek, 3 times in a week (I will not confirm or deny that I am talking about myself), quietly under the covers while your spouse sleeps, here’s what you do. When you download any apps and it asks for permission to your microphone, JUST SAY NO!
Existing Apps
Here’s how to revoke the microphone permission for existing apps:
Android
Go to settings –> Apps & Notifications –> Microphone ->Slide off any that are currently on
iPhone
Go to settings –> Privacy
But if you like the whole wide world to know your business then have at it. I’m not one to judge!
I have said that Pinterest has been spying on me for a while now! I’ll be thinking of something or texting about something and then go and try to find it on Pinterest and it’s already been suggested! It’s so creepy!
Yeah, there is more research out there but it’s true. This one report even did a test where they began to talk about a super random topic that they would never talk about, around their phone and sure enough, they began to see ads for it online.
Creeps to the max!! Lol it’s a little scary what some technology can do
It’s only a matter of time till we have robots.
Done and done. Thanks for the tips! But seriously, how is that legal!?
It’s legal because we give the app asks for permission to use our microphone and we allow it, never thinking the worst. I’m glad I could help!
This is very sad but very true…