A media firm has admitted that it can target adverts based on what you said out loud near device microphones.

A media firm that has worked with the likes of Google and Meta has admitted that it can target adverts based on what you said out loud near device microphones.

Media conglomerate Cox Media Group (CMG) has been pitching tech companies on a new targeted advertising tool that uses audio recordings collected from smart home devices, according to a 404 Media investigation. The company is partners with Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Bing.

In a pitch deck presented to Google, Facebook, and others in November 2023, CMG referred to the technology used for monitoring and active listening as “Voice Data.” The firm also mentioned using artificial intelligence to collect data about consumers’ online behavior.

  • N0body@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    713·
    12 days ago

    ”In most moments of the day, there’s a smart device in within two-inch radius of us. That means a smart device is likely within earshot when we talk about our plans for the weekend, how badly we need our kitchen remodeled, or which SUV model is best for the family with our spouse, and so much more,” the company wrote.

    Facebook and Google swear they cast it into the fire, because they don’t want to take away your privacy to make money. Do you believe them?

      • N0body@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        64·
        12 days ago

        Who could possibly imagine Google and Facebook doing something unethical, then lying about it?

        • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.worldEnglish
          25·
          11 days ago

          Ignorant lemmings who don’t understand there are billions and billions of dollars going into Sec ops research who would give both their nuts, ovaries, or whatever to make this discovery and can’t be bothered to understand how the hardware chip powering the on word works.

          • N0body@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
            61·
            11 days ago

            If a device can start listening when you say, “Hey Siri,” it can also start listening when you say other words.

            • dan@upvote.auEnglish
              2·
              11 days ago

              So far, nobody has proven that any major phone apps are constantly listening and sending that data somewhere. That would be huge news if it ever happened.

              For voice assistants, they’re tuned to listen specifically for wake words like “hey Siri”.

            • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.worldEnglish
              32·
              11 days ago

              Let me ask, do you understand how the wake word chip works? Or are you just imagining an absurd edge case where a researcher some how gaps the bridged chips while having the device in person?

              What do you believe is a viable attack vector that somehow nobody knows about?

              • RaoulDook@lemmy.worldEnglish
                1·
                11 days ago

                Have you read the source code for the programming for those chips? Do you know exactly how they work?

                Voice recognition is highly subjective, and some of you actually trust billionaire’s companies enough to take their word that their devices will only listen for certain special words? Ridiculous.

      • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.worldEnglish
        12·
        11 days ago

        I just think most folks are ignorant to how the tech works and the entirety of the security industry. But I bet that makes me a bootlicker 🙄