Technology

59534 readers

3209 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

Follow the lemmy.world rules.
Only tech related content.
Be excellent to each another!
Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
Politics threads may be removed.
No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

501

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

submitted 2 months ago by Stopthatgirl7@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

81 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] PrivacyDingus@lemmy.world 142 points 2 months ago (8 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 2 months ago (7 children)

Can you pass a link?

[–] PrivacyDingus@lemmy.world 34 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (6 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.

[–] DahGangalang@infosec.pub 3 points 2 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 2 months ago

absolutely no bother at all i was posting from bed too

load more comments (4 replies)