Is Meta really listening to us?

Recently, information appeared on the network that Facebook and Instagram, which are owned by Meta, are allegedly eavesdropping on their users.

What is Active Listening technology and where did it come from?

“Active Listening” technology involves the collection of data using the microphones of smart devices for the purpose of targeted advertising. It analyzes conversations in real time and combines this data with information about online behavior to create accurate consumer profiles. The developer of this technology is the media conglomerate Cox Media Group (CMG).

Where did the information come from that Meta is eavesdropping on its users?

A CMG presentation sent to their clients mentioned Google, Amazon and Meta as partners in using “Active Listening”. This information was leaked on the Internet, which caused a great uproar.

How have companies responded to these allegations?

According to the situation, Google has excluded CMG from its partners, Meta has started a review of the company for compliance with the terms of service, and Amazon has denied any cooperation with CMG in this direction. CMG itself has removed information about this plan from its website.

Are Google, Amazon and Meta really listening to users?

There is currently no direct evidence that these companies use Active Listening technology. Just because their logos were mentioned in the CMG presentation is not sufficient proof. It is important to note that the issue of data privacy is one of the top priorities for legislators in the US and Europe. Nearly two-thirds of US states have already passed privacy laws, and European regulators are also tightening controls in this area.

For now, the question of whether these well-known companies are actually eavesdropping on users remains open. However, the issue of data privacy protection remains relevant.

Targeted advertising and user data tracking

Targeted advertising has become a major issue in the digital world as it reportedly collects user data to offer the most relevant campaigns based on their interests. In 2022, Meta promised to limit the ability of advertisers to target users in certain categories such as health, politics, religion and more.

Big tech companies have faced challenges related to ad targeting and user data collection, giving advertisers the opportunity to maximize their reach.

However, some companies, like DuckDuckGo, offer tools to protect against trackers that monitor users’ data and their sensitive information.

Although some internet trackers have promised to eliminate things like Google’s cookie storage, Meta’s privacy solutions, Apple’s in-app tracking features, and more, many continue to question the security of these measures.

Cox Media Group recently admitted to spying on users’ conversations on their phones with its advanced software to help improve the effectiveness of ad campaigns.

This article available in Ukrainian.