Shocking revelation: How your cell phone is spying on you

Millions of people around the world have long suspected it, but now a leak suggests that our phones really are spying on us by listening to our conversations.

An apparent "pitch deck"* from one of Facebook's purported marketing partners appears to detail how the company eavesdrops on user conversations to create targeted ads.

In a shocking revelation, Cox Media Group (CMG) claims its 'Active-Listening' software uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to collect and analyze 'real-time data' by listening to what you say through your phone, laptop or microphone at home.

"Advertisers can pair this voice data with behavioral data to target consumers in the marketplace," the leak revealed.

The company goes on to tout Facebook, Google and Amazon as CMG clients, suggesting they could use its Active-Listening service to target users.

The operation was revealed to reporters at 404 Media that demonstrates the capabilities of the Active-Listening software to potential customers.

Since the discovery and disclosure of the finding, Google has removed the media group from its "Partner Program" page.

In a statement emailed to DailyMail.com, a META company spokesperson said: “Meta does not use your phone's microphone for advertising and we have been open about this for years. We are contacting CMG to get them to clarify that their program is not based on META data.”

Amazon responded to 404 Media by stating that its advertising arm "has never worked with CMG on this program and has no plans to do so."

But the spokesperson added that if one of its marketing partners violates its rules, the company will take action, leaving somewhat unclear the status of Amazon's relationship with CMG.

The presentation details the six-step process that CMG's Active-Listening software uses to collect consumer voice data through any microphone-connected device, including smartphones, laptops or home voice assistants.

It is unclear from the presentation display whether the Active-Listening software is listening continuously, or only at specific times when the phone's microphone is activated, such as during a phone call.

Advertisers then use this knowledge to target 'in-market customers', which are people who are actively considering purchasing a particular product or service.

If your voice or behavioral data suggests you're thinking about buying something, they'll serve you ads for that item.

For example, talking or searching for Toyota cars may lead you to start seeing ads for their newest models.

"Once it's up and running, the technology automatically analyzes your site traffic and customers to drive audience targeting on an ongoing basis," the leaked document says.

For years, smartphone users have speculated that their phones or tablets are spying on what they say. But most tech companies have denied these claims.

For example, META's online privacy center says: "We understand that sometimes ads can be so specific that it looks like we're listening to your conversations through your microphone, but we're not."

The leak is just the latest development in a wave of reports suggesting that your phone really is spying on you and that sites like Facebook can profit from what you say.

404 Media first discovered the existence of CMG's Active-Listening service in December 2023.

A day later, they exposed a small AI marketing company called MindSift that boasted on a podcast about using smart device speakers to target ads.

Although it may seem surprising, Active-Listening is perfectly legal, CMG claimed in a since-deleted blog post from November 2023.

“We know what you're thinking. Is this even legal? The short answer is: yes. It is legal for phones and devices to listen to you,” the post reads.

"When downloading or updating a new app requires consumers to agree to a terms of use agreement, printed somewhere in the fine print is Active-Listening."

That may explain how CMG is escaping legal trouble in states with tough wiretapping laws that prohibit recording someone without their knowledge, like California.

CMG did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment and has yet to respond to similar inquiries from other news sites, including Futurism and Gizmodo.

CMG is an American media conglomerate based in Atlanta, Georgia. The company provides broadcast media, digital media, advertising and marketing services and generated $22.1 billion in revenue in 2022.

Source: Daily Mail/ Prepared for Hashtag.al

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