Many users suspect that their phones are secretly listening to them. However, cybersecurity experts believe that the truth is more complicated and is more about creating a digital profile than direct "espionage."
According to Milli.Az, technology giants (Google, Facebook, Apple) officially deny listening to microphones for advertising purposes. Experts note that recording and analyzing millions of people's voices 24/7 requires an extremely large amount of data technically and would also drain the battery very quickly.
So how do ads find you?
Advertising algorithms estimate "what we are thinking" without listening by these methods:
Location (GPS) Data: If you are sitting in a café with your friend and they recently searched for a product on the internet, the algorithm knows that you are in the same location. It considers their interests relevant to you as well and shows you the same ad.
Shared Wi-Fi Network: Interests of people connected to the same internet network are accepted by the system as "similar." An item searched by someone at home could be advertised on your phone.
Pixel Tracking and Cookies: The videos you watch, posts you like, and even how many seconds you linger on a picture are recorded.
Artificial intelligence can very accurately predict what your next need will be based on your age, gender, and past behaviors even before you say it.
If You Suspect Being Listened To Without Permission, What Should You Do?
If you are still concerned about your security, the following steps are recommended:
Check app permissions: Review which apps have microphone access in your phone settings and disable the unnecessary ones.
Turn off personalized ads: Disable the "Personalized Ads" option in Google and social media settings.
Clear cookies: Regularly delete tracking cookies from your browser.
Turn off voice assistants: If you disable functions like "Hey Siri" or "OK Google," your phone will not keep the microphone constantly active waiting for the wake word.
The main conclusion experts have reached is that companies do not need to listen to us, because our digital footprints tell them more than enough. The "accidental" appearance of ads before us is actually the result of a very powerful mathematical calculation.
