Skip to main content


Marketer sparks panic with claims it uses smart devices to eavesdrop on people


(Note the article attempts to downplay the claims by the companies involved but it doesn't actually prove that they don't do exactly what they said they were doing.... listening in on the microphone)

Your Smart Phone Is Possibly Spying On You And Recording Your Conversations Near It

#News #Smartphones #Spying #ActiveEavesdropping #CMG #ArsTechnica #CoxMediaGroup #Technology

in reply to Joseph Teller

That's one reason there are none here, but I don't doubt that my phone does the same.
in reply to Joseph Teller

Well, it could be Brave New World v.2024 - but there's this one (still-legal) 'guard-rail' -

collected by these platforms and devices under the terms and conditions provided by those apps and accepted by their users


Emphasis mine... so there is still 'informed consent' ... and strong incentive for users/buyers to beware...

in reply to Joseph Teller

That’s one reason there are none here, but I don’t doubt that my phone does the same.

Hmmm, how about if it is turned off?

in reply to Joseph Teller

@tomgrzybow@societas.online wait a moment, now you've got me thinking… phone makers were justifying their decisions to make batteries non-removable quoting lower costs and better waterproofing, but what if there was a hidden reason - to prevent users for really turning their phones off by removing the battery? As long as power is connected, you have no idea what the phone is doing even while its display is off.
in reply to Joseph Teller

The Informed consent can be hidden inside a multi page/screen EULA and most people will never know what they are consenting to. Same way most folks don't realize that their GPS is an active GPS and that they can be tracked by their phones by police and other government agencies (Google has just recently made a big deal that they will NO LONGER be storing GPS data from devices so it cannot be requested by police and other agencies by warrant.. which means that until now they have been, including their Google Maps software).

Unless you can remove the battery you cannot turn off the device in full. It will still be pinging cell towers etc silently.

Everything I've been telling people about the problems with Smart Phones since they and their GPS systems were introduced etc is turning out to be publicly exposed as true. Your cell phone can be used against you, by the law, by criminal organizations and by people who want to stalk you or cause you harm (like violent/jealous ex-s).

in reply to Joseph Teller

wait a moment, now you’ve got me thinking… phone makers were justifying their decisions to make batteries non-removable quoting lower costs and better waterproofing, but what if there was a hidden reason

I suspected this from the very beginning. Being able to easily replace batteries is a very positive feature - yet it was given-up quickly across the entire market.

in reply to Joseph Teller

As long as power is connected, you have no idea what the phone is doing even while its display is off.

Well, you can monitor your battery usage.

in reply to Joseph Teller

how about if it is turned off?

I simply do not carry mine with me. Problem solved.

in reply to Joseph Teller

(Google has just recently made a big deal that they will NO LONGER be storing GPS data from devices so it cannot be requested by police and other agencies by warrant… which means that until now they have been, including their Google Maps software).

I shall take them at their word. (Not)

Lo, thar be cookies on this site to keep track of your login. By clicking 'okay', you are CONSENTING to this.