Remember, how we all used to think our phones were listening to our conversations, but we had no proof of it? Well, now we do. The long-standing suspicion became reality when a marketing firm confirmed that smartphones come with software to listen in on users. The firm, whose clients include Google and Facebook, has admitted that it uses the phone’s microphone to collect information. This means, when you spoke to your mom about buying a coffee maker, your phone was listening too. And then came a barrage of ads telling you where you could buy it. You let it go, thinking you might have Googled it. But that’s not the case. The report published by 404 Media says that it’s not just what you search but what you say near the phone that gets you ads.

What is active listening software?

According to a report, Cox Media Group, a major player in television and radio news, revealed in a presentation to investors that its active listening technology uses AI to collect real-time data on user intentions by monitoring and analyzing conversations, effectively tracking discussions to gather insights. In addition, the company also wrote in the pitch deck that this technology allows advertisers to combine voice data with behavioral data, allowing them to accurately target consumers who are actively considering a purchase, creating a powerful tool for targeted advertising.

According to the report, the company also claimed that the technology helps collect the data trail left by consumers on “their conversions and online behavior.” It states that the AI-powered software collects and analyzes “behavioral and voice data from over 470 sources.”

This is the third time in a year that 404 Media has exposed suspicious active listening software. In December, it exposed the marketing company for promoting the invasive technology on its podcast. Not only that, it also shed light on Cox Media Group’s secretive active listening feature, drawing attention to a potentially disturbing practice of monitoring and exploiting users’ conversations for data.

Meta and Amazon have taken steps

The recent leak has created a ripple effect. Since Meta and Amazon are directly related to the marketing firm, both have decided to take the matter into their own hands. The details have prompted Meta to conduct a thorough review and analysis of the agency’s terms of service to find out if they are collecting and using user data without explicit permission, potentially violating their contractual obligations and compromising user trust.

Amazon, on the other hand, denied any involvement in the marketing agency’s data privacy dispute and made it clear that it does not plan to work with the agency. It has also issued a stern warning, stating that if it finds out that any of its partners have violated its terms of service, it will immediately take legal action, emphasizing its commitment to protecting user data and maintaining its standards.

In their opinion, Cox Media Group once said in a now-deleted post that users agree to active listening technology every time they download a new app. It added, “We know what you’re thinking. Is this even legal? It’s legal for phones and devices to listen to you. When a new app download or update prompts consumers with a multi-page Terms of Use Agreement somewhere in the fine print, often active listening is involved.”

It claims that the existence and use of listening software is typically buried within dense and often ignored terms of use agreements that users hastily agree to when installing a new app or updating an existing one, allowing the software to be deployed without explicit consent.