We have all suspected that our cell phone is listening to us. The company that sold this technology has just recognized that it was a lie

There are many people who are convinced that cell phones listen to everything we say. We have all had the same disturbing feeling when we see an ad for something we recently talked about with a friend or family member, but have never searched for on the internet. The most solid proof that they really listen to us was a leak from a company that sold a technology called “active listening” and it did exactly what you’re thinking. Well, it was all a big lie.

what has happened. They count in Wired that the US Federal Trade Commission (FCT) has fined Cox Media Group $880,000 for deceiving its customers with its active listening technology. They have also fined two other companies, MindSift and 101 Digital Networks, $25,000 each. In total, $930,000 will be used to compensate businesses that were affected by this deception.

What they sold. Cox Media Group claimed that its technology could capture conversations from cell phones, smart speakers, televisions and other devices. Then, using AI, they segmented the advertising based on what people said and also based on their location, which they also claimed to be able to obtain. Their excuse was that users had already agreed to be recorded by accepting the terms of service. The company didn’t have many scruples, just look at the slogan they used to sell the product: “Is it scary? Sure. Is it great for marketing? Without a doubt.”

What it really was. According to the FCT, it was all a hoax. They were not able to listen through all those devices, nor could they know the location of people. What they did was buy generic email lists from data brokers and resold them for a price much higher than their real value. The FCT also notes that agreeing to generic terms of service does not constitute explicit consent to something as invasive as these recordings.

Why it is important. We are surrounded by technology that has the potential to spy on us with microphones, not only mobile phones but speakers, headphones and even smart watches. Today has not been proven that cell phones listen to everything we say, but it is a very widespread belief and these companies decided not only to feed the conspiracy theory, but also to profit from it.

The answer. When the cake was revealed, Cox Media Group attempted to place the blame on an unknown third-party vendor. Speaking to Wired, a company spokesperson said that “Our local marketing team relied on marketing materials provided by a third-party vendor about their product. We quickly removed the materials and stopped use of the product.” All three defendant companies admitted fault and agreed not to make false statements about their products in the future.

Image | Xataka with Gemini

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