Can the internet really spy on your conversations?

[Bring back John Fifita]

I’m sure you’ve had a chat or coversation with someone over the phone, or in person then soon after you jump on your computer or phone and then…

miraculously an advert on the subject of your chat appears….

ive heard it explained something like “Google uses your search history and based on similar patterns it outlines the typical adverts / needs etc etc…

Maybe… but what about when you don’t search…just chat/talk…

Anyone know??

And what about when you don’t even talk about it….

What prompted my thread here is…. An ad that popped up on LU just now, about “stopping a barking dog”…

I’ve not spoken, searched, or chatted about that to anyone yet… I don’t have a dog. But my neighbour does. About half an hour ago it wouldn’t shut up and I yelled “shut up” out the window…. That’s it…

Then lo and behold…. That ad….

Can someone enlighten me here?

What is really going on here….

 

[This Year?]

My TV has google search voice activation. On the odd occasion when I say something without saying "hey google" the TV searches it. I assume most TV's are like that now or anyone that has Alexa or Nest goes through similar things. I think as long as it's connected to the internet the mic is always on and listening.

 

[Twizzle]

It can and it does. Really just depends on your definition of "conversation"

I googled Bunnings on Sunday morning to see if it was open, up came my local Bunnings store with its phone number and underneath that it said:

"You visited here yesterday"

Despite the fact that I never rang anyone or used my phone for anything whilst in the store, nor did I tell anyone I had been there.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Cheers @This Year? and @Twizzle ..

Yes I've heard similar stuff too from many people.

The thing that stuck out for me is that my scenario yesterday wasn't a search, it wasn't part of any conversation i'd had with anyone... it was literally me at home, phone by my side (but not me using it or talking on it), a dog barking from next door, I open the window and yell "shut up".... then about half an hour later I jump on LU for a bit of a gander and boom - "stopping a barking dog" appears as an ad. Nothing Id ever seen before on here or elsewhere....

I know they introduced "the green light" on Iphones in recent times so suggest when the voices microphone/screen was being used... to try and give people assurance they weren't being bugged. But is it true??

Through a personal friend of mine - I know that phones can be used as a bugging device even when they are swtiched off..

This friend was served notice to appear as a witness to a corruption enquiry. In introducing him to a lawyer i know (another personal friend) he was advised firstly to not speak about any elements of the case on the phone, or even near the phone. Not even when the phone was turned off. To have a truly private conversation the lawyer advised him to switch the phone off - put in in a drawer, the car, or somewhere else that's "secured"... and maintain at least 20m distance...

Only recently I met a person in the Federal Cops, and he basically backed this up.

So in my head - the technology is there to spy on you even if your phone is off, and so can the "internet" use this to interpret any/all conversations or (such as my case) sounds that can determine what you are actually doing or scenarios you are in.. ?

 

[Parra]

Probably. Best just to talk about the footy.

 

[myrrh ken]

Cheers @This Year? and @Twizzle ..

Yes I've heard similar stuff too from many people.

The thing that stuck out for me is that my scenario yesterday wasn't a search, it wasn't part of any conversation i'd had with anyone... it was literally me at home, phone by my side (but not me using it or talking on it), a dog barking from next door, I open the window and yell "shut up".... then about half an hour later I jump on LU for a bit of a gander and boom - "stopping a barking dog" appears as an ad. Nothing Id ever seen before on here or elsewhere....

I know they introduced "the green light" on Iphones in recent times so suggest when the voices microphone/screen was being used... to try and give people assurance they weren't being bugged. But is it true??

Through a personal friend of mine - I know that phones can be used as a bugging device even when they are swtiched off..

This friend was served notice to appear as a witness to a corruption enquiry. In introducing him to a lawyer i know (another personal friend) he was advised firstly to not speak about any elements of the case on the phone, or even near the phone. Not even when the phone was turned off. To have a truly private conversation the lawyer advised him to switch the phone off - put in in a drawer, the car, or somewhere else that's "secured"... and maintain at least 20m distance...

Only recently I met a person in the Federal Cops, and he basically backed this up.

So in my head - the technology is there to spy on you even if your phone is off, and so can the "internet" use this to interpret any/all conversations or (such as my case) sounds that can determine what you are actually doing or scenarios you are in.. ?

Inspector gadget: how smart devices are outsmarting criminals

Fitbits, pacemakers, Amazon Echoes – all are tools of the modern detective’s trade in a world where our devices are always watching

www.theguardian.com

crimes have been solved using this info.

 

[muzby]

Russian brides.



Sorry.

 

[blue bags]

I abused the PM that as on the TV
I was followed around by fed police the next day
explore your options, take the battery out of the phone

 

[Timmah]

It can and it does. Really just depends on your definition of "conversation"

I googled Bunnings on Sunday morning to see if it was open, up came my local Bunnings store with its phone number and underneath that it said:

"You visited here yesterday"

Despite the fact that I never rang anyone or used my phone for anything whilst in the store, nor did I tell anyone I had been there.

Fun fact

If you have Google Maps on your phone - especially on Android - by default "Timeline" is activated.

Open Google Maps on your phone, hit your profile pic top right corner and choose "Your timeline"

(Then be freaked out by the fact you've literally had your phone account for just about everywhere you've gone.)

Handy for contact tracing if you get COVID I guess?

 

[blue bags]

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Fun fact

If you have Google Maps on your phone - especially on Android - by default "Timeline" is activated.

Open Google Maps on your phone, hit your profile pic top right corner and choose "Your timeline"

(Then be freaked out by the fact you've literally had your phone account for just about everywhere you've gone.)

Handy for contact tracing if you get COVID I guess?

Cheers, I tried it ( worried about “paradise found” visits) but I’m in the clear:-


I’ll use that when I’m busted for breaching lockdown for an emergency kebab

This time lock down is harder. Not sure why.

 

[bileduct]

It can and it does. Really just depends on your definition of "conversation"

I googled Bunnings on Sunday morning to see if it was open, up came my local Bunnings store with its phone number and underneath that it said:

"You visited here yesterday"

Despite the fact that I never rang anyone or used my phone for anything whilst in the store, nor did I tell anyone I had been there.

If you've got location services turned on Google will track everywhere you go.

You even get a report every few months telling you exactly where you've been visiting the most.

 

[Pretty Penny]

The internet knows ALL!

As soon as you visit a location, the internet will relay that to all search platforms and social media sites and you will start seeing ads about it so it seems you are getting ads for something that you have just thought about without your computer or I Phone being involved at all. It all happens in the background without you ever knowing.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

The internet knows ALL!

As soon as you visit a location, the internet will relay that to all search platforms and social media sites and you will start seeing ads about it so it seems you are getting ads for something that you have just thought about without your computer or I Phone being involved at all. It all happens in the background without you ever knowing.

Yep.

Any idea on how the internet knew there was a dog barking next door to me?

It can only be they are bugging my phone.... heard it, and heard me telling it to shut up..

 

[blue bags]

Yep.

Any idea on how the internet knew there was a dog barking next door to me?

It can only be they are bugging my phone.... heard it, and heard me telling it to shut up..

the smart tv watched you, and listened to everything you said
and the smart door bell

 

[Parra]

I would like to win that yellow Monaro

 

[Angry_eel]

It can and it does. Really just depends on your definition of "conversation"

I googled Bunnings on Sunday morning to see if it was open, up came my local Bunnings store with its phone number and underneath that it said:

"You visited here yesterday"

Despite the fact that I never rang anyone or used my phone for anything whilst in the store, nor did I tell anyone I had been there.

It picked up your location while you were there. Keep your location off unless needed.

 

[Angry_eel]

The internet knows ALL!

As soon as you visit a location, the internet will relay that to all search platforms and social media sites and you will start seeing ads about it so it seems you are getting ads for something that you have just thought about without your computer or I Phone being involved at all. It all happens in the background without you ever knowing.

Data is the new Oil. Crude, not Olive.

 

[gordsy]

I abused the PM that as on the TV
I was followed around by fed police the next day
explore your options, take the battery out of the phone

These days most phones are designed so it's not possible to do that.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Yes it does. I just found James Bond rummaging thru my e-mails