Meta And Google Allegedly Use Supervision Program To Listen To User Conversations

Active Listening, Google, Facebook and Amazon tap the user's conversations for ads. (photo: dock. 404media.co)

JAKARTA - If you've ever felt that Facebook is listening to your conversations to display more targeted ads, the allegation may be correct. The advertising industry has long been looking for ways to increase the effectiveness of targeting ads by utilizing user data. However, in a recent announcement, it was revealed that this may be assisted by smartphone and tablet devices that actively monitor your daily conversations.

A presentation from the Cox Media Group seen by 404 Media discussed the services they offer, which basically supervises users. Referred to as "Active Listening," this leaked document reveals that the service can use the device's microphone to listen to users' conversations whenever they are within the reach of hearings.

The idea behind it is that this dedicated software will capture voice data from the environment, specifying what is being discussed or mentioned. This information is then paired with behavioral data in the user profile, which ultimately allows more customized ads to be displayed.

The presentation refers to taking "real-time intention data by listening to" conversations, analyzed by AI along with more than 470 other sources. The service costs $100 per day to collect a weekly data set for users within a 10-mile radius using the feature.

Following this disclosure, Google removed CMG from their "Maratra Program", and Meta decided to review CMG's actions to determine whether there were violations of their service provisions.

Although Apple is not involved in this issue, this disclosure serves as a reminder of the privacy risks that other device users can face, especially those using Android. With billions of Android devices around the world, your conversations may still be tapped by advertisers.