Published: March 05, 2024 on our newsletter Security Fraud News & Alerts Newsletter.
Ever get the feeling your device is listening to you? Well, you might be right. Reports of having a conversation near your device and then seeing targeted ads about it, are happening. No, you're not crazy. Yes, your device is listening to you. And yes, your eyes are not deceiving you…you certainly are seeing ads based on that conversation.
Why Is My Smartphone Spying on Me?
Even though we know the snoop is on, there's no "decisive proof" it's happening. The only answer we currently have has to do with the theory of audio surveillance. We know that voice recognition assistants like Siri and Alexa are trained to listen to us and perform tasks we ask them to do. Both microphones and virtual assistants are built-in to a device. But being humans, it's good to know there's something we can do about it.
Why Ads?
Smartphones are designed to track your movements online. That way, businesses know what products you've looked at or bought. By sending you targeted ads, it's their way of getting you to buy more of their merchandise or service. Doing so ultimately gets them more information about you through payment cards, address, and other PII they require when making a purchase. For businesses, targeted advertising is all about the Benjamin’s.
What Can I Do About the Snoop?
No one likes the idea of being snooped upon, but most people like the idea of having Siri or Alexa there to help. The only sure-fire way to stop the snoop is by limiting the scope of your virtual assistant or turning off the device microphone altogether. Whether Android or Apple, go to Settings and there you'll see options for what you decide to do.
For each user, it comes down to the level of comfort they have with their device listening in on conversations. Since everyone is different, some are happy to get targeted ads while other's see it as a privacy intrusion. No matter where you land between extremes, know there's something you can do about it. Even if you leave your device settings as they are, it's smart to look at what options you have. Maybe your virtual assistant can help you decide!
Keep up to date: Sign up for our Fraud alerts and Updates newsletter
Want to schedule a conversation? Please email us at advisor@nadicent.com