Does facebook listen to conversations??
Discussion
Especially if it could cope with everything that anybody says, all around the globe, 24x7x365. That really would be impressive, especially if there were the back-end processing to deal with all that data as well.
But alas, I live in the real world, not the fantasy world that you inhabit.
But alas, I live in the real world, not the fantasy world that you inhabit.
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Winston: the most likely explanation is either coincidence, or you are mis-remembering something and you did in fact do a Google/Amazon/John Lewis/etc search prior to the adverts for beds. There will definitely be a simple explanation that doesn't involve your phone listening to you.
My one above re Kinder, I can assure you I've not searched for anything like that before.I was very much a "don't be stupid" at the start of this thread, but there have been far too many coincidences since.
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
WinstonWolf said:
I'm a visionary
You are David Brent AICMFP.
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Friday 14th October 20:25
Facebook says explicitly on its help pages that it doesn’t record conversations, but that it does use the audio to identify what is happening around the phone.
It may "use audio". That doesn't mean it's understanding what people are saying.
And the other link is just an article written by a journalist about something that somebody claims.
Jeez...
I've had enough of this ridiculous argument. As I said before, you're free to believe whatever bulls
t you like.
And the other link is just an article written by a journalist about something that somebody claims.
Jeez...
I've had enough of this ridiculous argument. As I said before, you're free to believe whatever bulls
t you like.The original question was "Does Facebook listen to conversations "
I said I believed it was technically possible and that is correct.
Does this satisfy you?
Facebook's app access to a phone's microphone is fact, and, critically, it now appears to be turned on by default, meaning you have to dig into your phone's innards to disable it.
This is not the first time Facebook has faced this charge: last year it was also accused of listening to people and selling ads in response. It said at the time that users had to turn the microphone on. But that may have changed subsequently, since most users find their microphones are on as a default for the Facebook app.
Facebook says this about its use of the microphone: "We use your microphone to identify the things you're listening to or watching, based on the music and TV matches we're able to identify."
It also points out that it doesn't record conversations – although it doesn't need to actually record conversations, of course, to act on them and relay "relevant ads." And last year it claimed that listening was limited only to when you are writing a Facebook update.
I said I believed it was technically possible and that is correct.
Does this satisfy you?
Facebook's app access to a phone's microphone is fact, and, critically, it now appears to be turned on by default, meaning you have to dig into your phone's innards to disable it.
This is not the first time Facebook has faced this charge: last year it was also accused of listening to people and selling ads in response. It said at the time that users had to turn the microphone on. But that may have changed subsequently, since most users find their microphones are on as a default for the Facebook app.
Facebook says this about its use of the microphone: "We use your microphone to identify the things you're listening to or watching, based on the music and TV matches we're able to identify."
It also points out that it doesn't record conversations – although it doesn't need to actually record conversations, of course, to act on them and relay "relevant ads." And last year it claimed that listening was limited only to when you are writing a Facebook update.
No technical comeback?
I'll grant you it's not easy to come back when you opened your gob before doing your research...
"Facebook claims the feature is good for users because it makes it easier and faster for you to post about what's going on around you. If that's a persuasive argument for you, continue on, but for everyone else the answer is to go into your phone's settings and manually prevent your Facebook app from accessing your microphone."
I'll grant you it's not easy to come back when you opened your gob before doing your research...
"Facebook claims the feature is good for users because it makes it easier and faster for you to post about what's going on around you. If that's a persuasive argument for you, continue on, but for everyone else the answer is to go into your phone's settings and manually prevent your Facebook app from accessing your microphone."
But it's not listening, that would kill your battery 
I suspect what's going on is the feature that listens to what's happening around you influences what FB believes you like and adverts are served up based on that.
It's probably making indirect choices, not deliberate ones. For now...
I suspect what's going on is the feature that listens to what's happening around you influences what FB believes you like and adverts are served up based on that.
It's probably making indirect choices, not deliberate ones. For now...
Walked past a BMW i3 on Saturday, phone in pocket, said to wife it might be a good choice for our next car. Thought nothing of it till just now when every page on PH is showing me adverts for i3's. Weird. Not looked online for them or anything, just that one sentence as we walked past.
This active listening probably does kill batteries, that's why phones need charging every day!
This active listening probably does kill batteries, that's why phones need charging every day!
Chatting with the wife last night about investing in some properties and maybe using the buy to let scheme and surprise surprise, I had a couple of emails this morning about buy to let.
I didn't use my phone, laptop or internet of any type to look it up as we were going to do that this afternoon.
I don't have anything related enabled including hey Siri etc.
I didn't use my phone, laptop or internet of any type to look it up as we were going to do that this afternoon.
I don't have anything related enabled including hey Siri etc.
Edited by Alucidnation on Sunday 23 October 22:27
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