Marketing Company Claims That It Actually Is Listening to Your Phone and Smart Speakers to Target Ads - eviltoast
“What would it mean for your business if you could target potential clients who are actively discussing their need for your services in their day-to-day conversations? No, it's not a Black Mirror episode—it's Voice Data, and CMG has the capabilities to use it to your business advantage.”

A marketing team within media giant Cox Media Group (CMG) claims it has the capability to listen to ambient conversations of consumers through embedded microphones in smartphones, smart TVs, and other devices to gather data and use it to target ads, according to a review of CMG marketing materials by 404 Media and details from a pitch given to an outside marketing professional. Called “Active Listening,” CMG claims the capability can identify potential customers “based on casual conversations in real time.”

  • Showroom7561@lemmy.caEnglish
    3·
    1 year ago

    A proper law/regulation would aim to prevent that. Explicit consent to enter a home must be given, every time. Physically or digitally.

    • FutileRecipe@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Except the device is already in your home, and most people leave their account logged in. That’s basically like you inviting someone into your house, they hang out in your spare bedroom…and they’re still there. So no need to re-grant consent to a situation that hasn’t changed. Unless you mean it auto-logs out (or you log out) and have to re-grant consent then? Most do require consent on logging in, and the average consumer would hate having to log in every time and would probably use weak passwords because of this.

      But, you can at least kick them out (revoke consent).

      I just don’t see how a proper law/regulation would fix/restrict this, except to make certain personalization attempts (targeted ads) illegal.

      • Showroom7561@lemmy.caEnglish
        3·
        1 year ago

        Except the device is already in your home, and most people leave their account logged in.

        People buy products to serve a purpose to themselves and their family, so yes, the device is in their home FOR THEIR USE.

        Being logged in isn’t an open invitation to be spied, so laws need to address that.

        That’s basically like you inviting someone into your house, they hang out in your spare bedroom…and they’re still there.

        The invite, in this case, is not for a company to spy on you and your family. I don’t think anyone would actually want that, especially not for the purpose of targeting them with ads.

        People use voice activated devices, which do record and react to voice prompt, but the permission here is given only for that use. A company shouldn’t be able to say “hey, you can use the service you’ve paid for, and by agreeing to use that service, you also agree to give us permission to digitally invade your home and privacy.”

        I just don’t see how a proper law/regulation would fix/restrict this, except to make certain personalization attempts (targeted ads) illegal.

        Yes, make it illegal. And make everything opt-in without strings attached (i.e. if you agree to use the service you paid for, you agree to being spied on).

        I will personally continue to use my wallet to yield power. I won’t buy devices or support companies who are evil, and will support companies who respect privacy and data freedom. The whole enshitification of the digital landscape is incredibly sad to see, TBH.