Does facebook listen to conversations??
Discussion
Right - in the interest of science, I'm going to say the word for a long legged, long necked spotted animal that eats from tall trees, near my phone and see what happens.... I would urge you all watching this thread to do similar convoluted experiments to prove or disprove this theory.
Don't type anything into google, just say a word several times near your phone and see if anything turns up in your advertising feed.
Report your results here.
Don't type anything into google, just say a word several times near your phone and see if anything turns up in your advertising feed.
Report your results here.
I've had 3 or 4 instances over the last month where ads have popped up on Facebook and YouTube (so it's google I presume) that were related to conversations I had had with a day or two prior, or a matter of hours in one case.
One instance I could attribute to geo location, possibly, but the others were beyond coincidence.
The most recent one, was Monday and I was walking down a street discussing Vw vans and buses with a colleague who quite fancies one. Within a couple of hours I was getting ads for VW bus/van parts (the old campers oddly enough). I have never, ever googled for them.
One instance I could attribute to geo location, possibly, but the others were beyond coincidence.
The most recent one, was Monday and I was walking down a street discussing Vw vans and buses with a colleague who quite fancies one. Within a couple of hours I was getting ads for VW bus/van parts (the old campers oddly enough). I have never, ever googled for them.
AndStilliRise said:
Was talking to someone about paying for your own funeral yesterday and today on planetf1.com had an advert about planning for a funeral. Its not funny anymore, been wondering why a single application uses so much battery power.
Perhaps google or siri listen and feedback info for advertisers?AndStilliRise said:
Was talking to someone about paying for your own funeral yesterday and today on planetf1.com had an advert about planning for a funeral. Its not funny anymore, been wondering why a single application uses so much battery power.
And yet I've just been on PlanetF1.com and had adverts for:Sky TV
Audiobooks
Norton Security
TSB bank account
Personal Healthcare Insurance
American Express
Online slot machines
Online bingo
Cyprus
Cuba
Of those, I've spoken about Sky TV (we are moving soon, so I'm looking into whether it's better to take our package with us or sign up again as a new customer) and medical insurance (looking at our finances for when we get the new mortgage). And I've probably googled both of those things in the past few months too.
Is my phone just not interested in what I have to say?
AndStilliRise said:
Was talking to someone about paying for your own funeral yesterday and today on planetf1.com had an advert about planning for a funeral. Its not funny anymore, been wondering why a single application uses so much battery power.
It's not just Facebook.. I'm confident the Google machine is doing it as well.I was in a H&S induction a few days ago, watching a 20 minute video on the introduction to H&S and Fire Extinguisher basics. I had my phone in my pocket the entire time and don't have Facebook installed.
Since then the YouTube app has been covered with sponsored ads for Fire Extingusher/Health & Safety training.
So assume YouTube/Instagram etc have the same permissions... And take equal liberty of the vague privacy policy.
I didn't believe that Facebook was listening until yesterday, when I mentioned to the wife that I couldn't find the charger for my electric shaver.
10 minutes later, Facebook advert for electric shavers.
Seemed a bit too much of a coincidence. Never had an advert for electric shavers before.
10 minutes later, Facebook advert for electric shavers.
Seemed a bit too much of a coincidence. Never had an advert for electric shavers before.
I was recently talking to someone about my mum no longer working at Arnold Clark. Then I started getting ads for Arnold Clark.
If it's clever enough not to pick up on just keywords maybe you could record yourself talking about a specific thing in a faux conversation, then just play it on loop to your phone and see what happens?
If it's clever enough not to pick up on just keywords maybe you could record yourself talking about a specific thing in a faux conversation, then just play it on loop to your phone and see what happens?
Alucidnation said:
Right thats it.
Earlier today, I had a mishap and squashed my thumb at work which meant i needed a trip to A&E.
Now i have just had a spam email (that i have never had before) about beating NHS waiting lists.
Somethings going on!!!!!!!!
Location settings for that one. Did you check in at the hospital (or even just use Facebook whilst there)Earlier today, I had a mishap and squashed my thumb at work which meant i needed a trip to A&E.
Now i have just had a spam email (that i have never had before) about beating NHS waiting lists.
Somethings going on!!!!!!!!
Super Slo Mo said:
I would be inclined to agree, Google seems to be doing it too. It seems to pick up conversations though, rather than just key words as I've tried to 'seed' it a few times this week and it's ignoring me 
Perhaps it knows what I'm trying to do and is refusing to be drawn into the game.
For sure; Ive been using google maps on a galaxy tablet in the van and a couple of times Ive glanced at it to see its showing unasked for map search results, the other day I caught it bang to rights though - the radio was babbling on about islamic refugee resources and ive glanced at the tab to see googles decided to abondon my route and was showing all the islamic refugee resource centres in my area. Perhaps it knows what I'm trying to do and is refusing to be drawn into the game.
Its pretty worrying/annoying, especially when these apps simply demand usage of certain parts of your phone if you want to use them - I declined the waze app as it pretty much wanted full and complete access to anything and everything on my phone. I think curtailing this kind of thing is going to be a big thing soon.
I look at facebook via browser rather than allow it to assimilate.
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