Are smartphones listening to us? Yes, some apps not only track our searches but also pick up surrounding sounds. So, it’s no surprise that the advertisement we see on TV shortly afterward appears on our smartphone.
Almost half of Poles (42%) report encountering an advertisement for a product they recently talked about or saw on TV (without previously searching for it online), according to research conducted by NordVPN. Most of the respondents also came across a “tailored” ad on their smartphone (75%). This raises the question: Are smartphones listening to us?
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“Apps constantly pick up ultrasonic sounds from the environment”
“This is the method of ultrasonic tracking on devices. Apps on smartphones continuously capture inaudible high-frequency ultrasonic sounds from the environment, gathering information about the user—all without their knowledge. These data are then shared with other devices,” explains Adrianus Warmenhoven, cybersecurity advisor at NordVPN.
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Many apps currently request permission to access the microphone to pick up specific types of ultrasonic signals for tracking purposes. This can easily be prevented by not granting such permission. “You cannot stop ultrasonic signals from emitting sound frequencies around you. Therefore, the best way to reduce the likelihood of a smartphone listening for signals is to simply limit unnecessary permissions granted to apps installed on your device,” adds Adrianus Warmenhoven.
How to disable listening features on your phone?
To control which app is “spying” on you, follow these steps:
- Open the settings on your Android device.
- Select “Apps” or “Apps & notifications.”
- Find the app you want to restrict microphone access for.
- Open its settings.
- Find the “Permissions” section.
- Find the “Microphone” option and turn it off.
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You should repeat these steps for each app individually. It’s also worth limiting the audio recording functions in Google Assistant. When using the Google Assistant, which listens for voice commands, you may be accidentally recorded.
Another issue is the collection of information without using the microphone. Advertising companies gather data about users, such as search terms, websites visited, location, etc. They then use this data to display personalized ads, mostly collected passively based on the “digital footprint” we leave behind.
