Facebook, Google and Amazon are listening to our conversations near the phone: this is confirmed by the data leak

A promotional video from one of Facebook's marketing partners details how the company eavesdrops on users' conversations to create targeted ads, reports Dailymail.

Millions of people have long suspected, but now it has become absolutely clear - our phones really are listening to us.

A presentation from marketing firm Cox Media Group (CMG) has leaked into the public domain. It details how the company’s Active-Listening software uses AI to collect and analyze “real-time intent data” from consumers.

AI eavesdrops on conversations through microphones on phones, laptops and home assistants.

In the presentation, CMG lists Facebook, Google, and Amazon as clients. These tech giants can use the Active-Listening tool to target users based on what they say privately.

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“Advertisers can match this voice data with behavioral data to target consumers in-market,” according to a presentation shared by 404 Media.

How it works

The presentation details the six-step process.

The software uses Active-Listening AI to extract intent data from eavesdropped conversations on any device with a microphone. It is unclear from the presentation whether the Active-Listening software listens constantly or only at certain times when the phone's microphone is activated, such as during a call.

But the system appears to be sophisticated enough to analyze the collected voice data, combine it with online activity tracking, and identify high-value consumers who are on the verge of making a purchase.

For example, software could determine from a personal conversation that a user is thinking about buying a car and then show them targeted vehicle ads.

“Once launched, the technology automatically analyzes your site and customer traffic to continually feed audience targeting,” the presentation says.

Companies deny wiretapping

The presentation proves a practice that tech companies have long denied.

For years, smart device users have assumed that their phones or tablets are listening to what they say. But most tech companies vehemently deny these claims.

In response to the revelations, Google quickly distanced itself from CMG by removing the company from its list of official marketing partners.

A Meta representative said they do not listen to our conversations.

“We understand that sometimes ads can be so specific that it feels like we should be listening to your conversations through your microphone, but that’s not the case,” Meta explained.
Amazon officials said their advertising division "has never worked with CMG on this program and has no plans to do so."

Legal software

404 Media first revealed the existence of the CMG Active-Listening service in December 2023.

They exposed a small AI marketing company called MindSift, which bragged on a podcast about using smart device speakers to target ads.

As CMG assured, it may seem surprising, but Active Listening is completely legal.

"We know what you're thinking. Is this legal? The short answer is yes. Phones and devices have the right to listen to you," CMG said in a statement.

"A new download or update to the app will present consumers with a multi-page terms of use agreement. Somewhere in the fine print, active listening will be enabled," CMG explained at the presentation.

This explains how CMG gets away with its activities in states with laws that prohibit wiretapping without the user's knowledge.

CMG is an American media conglomerate headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company provides services in broadcast media, digital media, advertising, and marketing. In 2022, its revenue was $22,1 billion.