Are our phones spying on us?

Who hasn’t experienced this? You’re chatting with friends about a particular product and, moments later, bam!—there are ads for it all over your phone. It seems like magic, right? So, are our phones actually spying on us? The answer might surprise you! Share in the comments if this has happened to you!

The truth behind the ads

Let’s clarify one thing: yes, your phone’s microphone is always listening, but don’t worry, it’s not as creepy as it sounds. Virtual assistants like Siri or Google Assistant are on standby, only activated by specific commands like “Hey Siri” or “Ok Google.” However, they’re not recording everything you say. According to security experts, like Norton Security and PrivacySense, these assistants only start functioning after being triggered by those specific commands.

But then, how do you explain the coincidence of talking about a product and then seeing an ad for it? The answer lies in data. Major platforms use increasingly sophisticated algorithms to analyze our online behavior, from searches to website visits, even our interactions on social media. So, if you’ve been searching for a product or if a friend in your circle recently bought something similar, the algorithm does its job of connecting the dots and voilà, perfectly timed ads start popping up.

Coincidence or the power of the algorithm?

What’s really happening is that the human brain loves finding patterns, a phenomenon known as confirmation bias. Sometimes those ads were already there, but we only truly notice them after discussing the topic. So, the conclusion we can draw is that our phones aren’t spying on us; instead, algorithms are just very good at predicting our shopping behaviors, as suggested by PrivacySense.

But how can you better protect your privacy?

If you’re still feeling uneasy, there are a few steps you can take. Review the app permissions on your phone, disable the microphone where it’s not necessary, and make sure you’re up to date with your app privacy settings.

So, rest easy—your phone isn’t spying on you. But even if it were, it probably just wants to help you pick out your next purchase!