Have you ever had a conversation about something random, only to see ads about it pop up soon after on your phone? Maybe you were chatting with a friend about a new TV show or an unusual restaurant, and like magic, there it was: the ad staring at you from your screen. Is this a coincidence, or is your phone listening to you? The short answer? It’s complicated. Let’s dig into it.
Anecdotes that give us the creeps
The internet is filled with stories that could make even the biggest sceptics pause. Reddit users have reported situations where they spoke about something, like the latest iPhone, and were later bombarded with ads about iPhones. One user talked about a newly opened Nespresso store, and the next day, ads about coffee filled their feed. Even a BBC reporter once experienced seeing her friend’s tragic accident details appear in her Google search bar. These experiences make it easy to feel like we’re being watched or, more accurately, listened to. There’s even some more direct evidence. In one case, a company openly promoted an “Active Listening” feature to target ads through smartphones’ microphones, raising more than a few eyebrows. If they’re doing it, who’s to say others aren’t?
Tech giants like Google and Meta repeatedly deny using your microphone to listen for ad purposes. Meta has gone on record to say that they actively block brands from advertising based on microphone data, while Google says, “categorically,” they don’t use audio snippets to target ads. But is this the full story? Let’s be clear: Your phone listens to you, at least part of the time. Voice commands like “Hey Siri” and “OK Google” require an always-on microphone, and technically, those voice triggers are always waiting for you to say the magic words. So, while Google and Meta may not be secretly listening in on your dinner plans to sell you a dining set, your phone has the capability. And that’s where the worry comes in.
What’s really happening behind the scenes?
The truth is, even without explicitly listening, your phone can still target you with eerily precise ads. The culprit? Data collection, lots and lots of it. Everything you do online, from liking a friend’s post to following an account, creates data points companies can use to understand your habits. And they’re scarily good at connecting the dots. Ever notice how you’re shown ads for something your partner or housemate recently searched for? That’s often because of shared Wi-Fi networks or linked profiles, not microphones.
There’s also the power of geolocation. Imagine you’re in a shopping mall talking about a product, and an ad for it shows up. It might not be that your phone heard you; the advertisers know where you’ve been and what stores you passed by. And if you’re near someone who did search for it, algorithms might decide that you’re interested too.
Can we prove the phones are spying?
Ken Munro and David Lodge, cybersecurity experts, took it upon themselves a while back to figure this out. They developed an app to record conversations and send the data back to them, all with basic tools available to developers. The outcome? Their app could indeed record audio and link it to target ads. However, doing this without user consent would be unethical and illegal, and companies like Google insist they don’t allow this.
However, a leak in 2019 of over 1,000 Google Assistant voice recordings to Belgian media confirmed a sobering reality: voice assistants record and store snippets, which could reveal personal information. Although Google claimed these recordings were anonymised, it’s easy to see how privacy could slip through the cracks.
So, are our phones listening to us for ads?
The answer is most likely no, at least not in the way we might imagine. The creepy accuracy of some ads likely comes from a blend of linked data, location tracking, and AI algorithms that seem to know us better than we know ourselves. But that doesn’t mean your phone isn’t listening at all. Voice assistants are always on standby, and certain apps might abuse permissions. If you’re worried, there are ways to take control. Android and iOS allow you to shut off microphone access for apps. On iOS, you can disable Siri, and Android lets you disable Google Assistant listening. It’s a hassle, but it might give you peace of mind if you’re tired of those coincidental ads that hit a little too close to home.
How to protect yourself
Want to stop your phone from listening altogether? On iOS, head to Settings, Siri & Search, and switch off “Listen for ‘Hey Siri.'” Go to Settings, Google, Account Services, Search, Assistant & Voice on Android, and disable “Hey Google.” It’s also good to check which apps have microphone permissions; you’ll be surprised how many don’t need them.
While our phones may not actively eavesdrop for ad purposes, the blend of AI, tracking, and data mining can feel just as invasive. The best way to fight back? Stay informed, and always double-check those app permissions. In the age of data, every tap, click, and whisper leaves a trace.
