Does facebook listen to conversations??

[Silver940]

ZesPak said:

Or just use the fb website, I've been doing it for 5 years. The app has been several degrees of crap over that time.
Only thing missing is push notifications if you want them.

I've found the Metal app works as decent enough alternative

[Oakey]

It's harvesting your call logs as well it appears.

Our firm works with sports clubs, the guy we dealt with at one club left recently and his replacement emailed me on Thursday asking me to give him a call to bring him up to date, so I gave him a call that afternoon on my mobile to his mobile number. It's the first and only time I've spoken to him.

He's now just popped up on my "People you may know" suggestions.

The email address he mailed me on isn't my the one I use for FB. His work email address isn't linked to his FB account. I've never searched for him before and I doubt he's going to be able to find me amongst others with the same name.

That just leaves the call between ourselves.

Oh, and I just checked app permissions for FB and telephone and contacts is disabled.

Edited by Oakey on Sunday 13th November 22:56

[Cyder]

Talking fake grass for the front lawn with the wife earlier this evening no googling or interweb hunting for it and lo and behold what should appear on my suggested posts on Facebook.

It's too much, I'm off to play disable everything game.

[S10GTA]

Oakey said:

It's harvesting your call logs as well it appears.

Our firm works with sports clubs, the guy we dealt with at one club left recently and his replacement emailed me on Thursday asking me to give him a call to bring him up to date, so I gave him a call that afternoon on my mobile to his mobile number. It's the first and only time I've spoken to him.

He's now just popped up on my "People you may know" suggestions.

The email address he mailed me on isn't my the one I use for FB. His work email address isn't linked to his FB account. I've never searched for him before and I doubt he's going to be able to find me amongst others with the same name.

That just leaves the call between ourselves.

Oh, and I just checked app permissions for FB and telephone and contacts is disabled.

Edited by Oakey on Sunday 13th November 22:56

It links telephone number. Facebook asks for your number for backup, but is clearly using it. I have not entered mine. It's probably been asking for the last 5 years.

[Silver940]

S10GTA said:

It links telephone number. Facebook asks for your number for backup, but is clearly using it. I have not entered mine. It's probably been asking for the last 5 years.

I've ignored that too

So one that annoys me, why does Google Play Services need access to the microphone to work? I blocked it and was then plagued by messages saying it wouldn't work. Seemed to pop up whenever I opened a Google app.

[OtherBusiness]

Verbal conversation about elderly relatives and that they may need a bit more care in the next year or so, meals on wheels and that sort of thing. Lo and behold a Facebook advert for a senior assisted living help and support company in the local area! Still don't have Facebook installed, and microphone access disabled for everything apart from Shazam and Skype. Siri turned off now too..... Getting a bit invasive really.

[Oakey]

S10GTA said:

It links telephone number. Facebook asks for your number for backup, but is clearly using it. I have not entered mine. It's probably been asking for the last 5 years.

I think you're right, my number is there for 2FA (I think?) but I have it set to hidden so that Joe Public can't see it. Yet despite this it looks like if you search the number your profile pops up. Time to delete the number (but of course, now it's in there system that'll probably be that!)

[WestyCarl]

I was speaking to a marketing type over the weekend and she confirmed that facebook does listen in (even when not using the phone itself!!)

She can buy contacts from facebook that is specially targeted using this method. (apparently 3 hits on a similar word is all it needs before you are targeted)

[audi321]

Apologies if it's been posted already but

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-an...

Was highlighted back in May apparently.

[Hub]

Last night my wife was sitting next to me looking for gifts on her phone. She mentioned something and showed me an example on a particular website. I had not looked myself on my device, but within an hour I had suggested posts on Facebook for the EXACT product on the same website on mine - whoa!

Then later it did it again, this time in relation to a DVD we had discussed and she had looked up. So it either a) listens, b) does something over WiFi, or c) is something to do with our Facebook accounts being linked. Either way present shopping in secret won't be easy anymore!

[lost in espace]

New culprit whatsapp, sharing info with Facebook without proper authorisation.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-an...

[eybic]

[redacted]

[Oakey]

Bit sneaky, I just tried to remove my phone number only to be told if I do so I'll no longer be able to use my phone to upload photos and videos. Why does my ability to upload photos / videos depend on them having my phone number?!

[eybic]

Are you sure that's what it said? I removed it (iOS app) and was told the world would end if they didn't know it but no mention of not being able to upload pics.

[BaronVonVaderham]

WestyCarl said:

I was speaking to a marketing type over the weekend and she confirmed that facebook does listen in (even when not using the phone itself!!)

She can buy contacts from facebook that is specially targeted using this method. (apparently 3 hits on a similar word is all it needs before you are targeted)

That's not true.

You can spend money on ads that are targeted to keywords that are attached to people's profiles, but fb do not sell contacts to anyone.

Also they do not use the microphone to listen in to generate these keywords. Everything else you do on the site is what generates the keywords/interests that your profile has attached.

The level of paranoia on here is astounding!

[IanCress]

BaronVonVaderham said:

The level of paranoia on here is astounding!

I'd say the level of co-incidence is quite astounding when Facebook starts giving you adverts for items you've just been talking about.

[wiggy001]

For a split second last night I believed this could be happening. Looked at Facebook on my phone and saw an advert for log burners, something I'd been talking to my wife and mum about at the weekend.

Then I realised that after that conversation I saw a thread on here about open fires and clicked on a link to a log burner reseller.

Cookies. It's all about the cookies.

[OtherBusiness]

Just to counter that, I have been served adverts for things that I haven't searched online for (so no cookie possible), yet see an advert for something that has been mentioned purely verbally.

[Hugo a Gogo]

have we forgotten that FB have indeed confirmed they listen to background sound to 'help' us?

[WinstonWolf]

BaronVonVaderham said:

WestyCarl said:

I was speaking to a marketing type over the weekend and she confirmed that facebook does listen in (even when not using the phone itself!!)

She can buy contacts from facebook that is specially targeted using this method. (apparently 3 hits on a similar word is all it needs before you are targeted)

That's not true.

You can spend money on ads that are targeted to keywords that are attached to people's profiles, but fb do not sell contacts to anyone.

Also they do not use the microphone to listen in to generate these keywords. Everything else you do on the site is what generates the keywords/interests that your profile has attached.

The level of paranoia on here is astounding!

Ah, another "expert" who has no understanding of technology