Ladies and gentlemen, the conspiracy theories you’ve been laughing about at family barbecues might just be true—your phone is listening to you!
A bombshell leak suggests what millions of people have suspected for years: our beloved devices, the same ones we carry around everywhere, are eavesdropping on us to target ads. Shocker, right?
So here’s the scoop: an apparent pitch deck from Cox Media Group (CMG), a big-time marketing firm, claims they use AI-driven “Active-Listening” software to collect and analyze what we say, all in real-time. That’s right—according to this leak, your phone, laptop, or even that fancy home assistant sitting in your kitchen could be listening in.
If you’re wondering for certain if our phones listen to our conversations to target ads, well… 👀
Cox Media Group might be out of a few MILLION! Their Pitch Deck just leaked and they were advertising a service that claimed to target ads based on what potential customers said… pic.twitter.com/VWByidC3GT
— Ron Oliver (@RPOIII) September 2, 2024
And what do they do with this info? They use it to create scarily specific ads targeting your every whim. Chatting with your friend about buying a Toyota? Boom! Suddenly, ads for the latest Toyota models start popping up on your social feeds. Coincidence? Not according to this leak.
Now, here’s where it gets juicier. The pitch deck reportedly showcases how advertisers like Facebook, Google, and Amazon are allegedly clients of CMG. Yep, those tech giants who’ve repeatedly told us they’re not listening might just be doing exactly that. After the story broke, Google was quick to pull CMG from its “Partners Program” website, while Amazon tried to distance itself, saying they’ve “never worked” with CMG on this specific program. But, as always, there’s a little wiggle room in those statements, leaving their actual involvement a bit murky.
Of course, Meta (Facebook’s parent company) was quick to chime in too, claiming they’ve never used phone microphones for ad targeting. They even reached out to CMG, demanding clarification that their data isn’t coming from Facebook’s platform. But let’s be real—after years of privacy scandals, can we really take these companies at their word?
The leaked slideshow details how CMG’s software collects voice data, but it’s unclear whether they’re always listening or just when your microphone is on during calls or voice commands. Either way, it’s unsettling. The system then pairs what it hears with behavioral data, helping advertisers zero in on people actively looking to buy something. It’s no wonder people have been feeling like their phones are psychic when they see ads for things they just talked about.
And if you’re wondering, “How is this even legal?!” Well, CMG was kind enough to address that too—in a since-deleted blog post, of course. According to them, it’s all perfectly legit. You see, when you install or update an app, those lengthy terms and conditions you scroll through without reading? Somewhere buried in there, you’ve probably agreed to be listened to. Fun, right?
It’s true – Your phone is listening to you 📱👂
A 404 Media report reveals that a marketing firm working with Facebook and Google admitted to using smartphone microphones to listen to conversations and serve ads based on the data. Cox Media Group confirmed its use of “Active… pic.twitter.com/s3V4NLwMrO
— Global Dissident (@GlobalDiss) September 3, 2024
So next time you joke about your phone spying on you, remember—it might not be a joke after all. In this brave new world, your conversations are more valuable than you think, and CMG, along with some of tech’s biggest players, might just be cashing in.
