Nope, you’re not paranoid. If you feel like your smartphone and speakers are listening to your private chats, it’s because they are.
In a now-deleted blog post, Cox Media Group revealed it can (and does) gather information from conversations and use it for targeted ads. They thought they were slick by removing the evidence, but we caught all the details. Don’t they know the internet is forever?
Guilty as charged
To clear up any confusion from the get-go, this is not the Cox that provides internet. This is a media company based in Atlanta.
In a blog post titled, “It’s True. Your Devices Are Listening to You,” CMG spilled the tea on the tech it uses with advertisers. It was loud and proud — admitting to using voice data to target the exact customer its advertisers were looking for.
CMG’s “Active Listening” technology picks up conversations to give local advertisers a weekly list of consumers who might be shopping for a specific product or service. Let’s say it hears you talking about needing a bigger car or home. Yep, that’s gold for advertisers.
CMG’s services are available in a 10- or 20-mile radius, and advertising clients can “claim” a specific territory.
Wait, really? How?
AI gathers conversations through smartphones, smart TVs and other devices, like smart speakers. Once a target audience is created, CMG delivers ads through “streaming TV, streaming audio, display ads, YouTube, and Google and Bing search.”
Stop and think about that reach for a second.
The blog post and related content on CMG’s website have been removed, but an archived version still exists. When reached for comment, CMG representatives didn’t respond. Shocker.
A listening ear
Who, you may be wondering, are CMG’s customers? According to the company’s website, its business contains 14 TV stations, including ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo and MyNetworkTV affiliates. It also has 52 radio stations, a news bureau in Washington, D.C. and multiple streaming and digital platforms.
Essentially, anyone who advertises on a CMG-owned network can access its Active Listening tech.
To get even more Big Brother, CMG also installs a tracking pixel on each client’s website to “monitor the return on investment (ROI).” Because hey, we all gotta get paid.
Bottom line: If CMG is listening in on your private conversations, others are, too. You better believe this kind of tech is standard at this point.
Next time someone tells you you’re being paranoid about tech companies listening, send them my way.
“OK, Kim, what do I do about it?”
Good question, friend. If you haven’t yet, it’s time to adjust the settings on your devices. It won’t stop everything, but it’s a start.