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Google & Facebook partner admits it can listen to device microphone to serve ads - Dexerto (www.dexerto.com)

submitted 3 months ago by Stopthatgirl7@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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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.

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[–] PrivacyDingus@lemmy.world 142 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You should read the 404 piece, it's considerably less sensational and doesn't flat lie in the headline. I hate Big Tech too, but this is very bad framing.

[–] DahGangalang@infosec.pub 15 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Can you pass a link?

[–] PrivacyDingus@lemmy.world 34 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

it's the link above: https://www.404media.co/heres-the-pitch-deck-for-active-listening-ad-targeting/

A bundle of people say they have a paywall but they don't, they have an AI-bot-wall which can be got around with a free account. I'd recommend it tbh because they are doing very good work.

I pay the yearly subscription to support them as they are very much a rare entity in tech media: independent, reader-supported, and willing to ask difficult questions of tech companies, not fawn over their newest doodads.

[–] TechLich@lemmy.world 42 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Hmmm...

That looks pretty paywally to me. That said, I'm all for people supporting independent media.

[–] PrivacyDingus@lemmy.world 11 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

ah strange, I thought it was just for the above filter - apologies, I guess that's the ignorance you get if you've dropped that $$$.

I can give you the general vibe which is BIG CLAIMS in a presentation followed by every "partner" (Amazon, Google etc.) giving 404 statements that they had nothing to do with this and that it was against their ToS

The piece from noodlejetski: https://lemmy.world/comment/12182781 gives you a previous iteration of this claim

[–] dsilverz@thelemmy.club 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I don't know if I'm allowed to share here, but there's an... how could I say... alternative... archive snapshot, from the moment when the paywall weren't in place yet... It's available today at a site that are known for archiving things. 😀

[–] dubyakay@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 months ago

I'll allow it.

[–] DahGangalang@infosec.pub 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Sorry, was definitely reading this 90% asleep as I rolled out of bed. Thanks for the extra link anyway.

[–] PrivacyDingus@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

absolutely no bother at all i was posting from bed too