Have you ever felt like your smartphone or other smart device is eavesdropping on you because something you were talking about is suddenly in front of you in an ad? It's no coincidence after all, as a leak from a major ad media company seems to confirm such suspicions.
404 Media has acquired a pitch deck owned by Cox Media Group (CMG), a digital marketing agency that has worked with the likes of Google, Facebook's Meta, Microsoft and Amazon.
According to the sales promotion document (published in November 2023) presented by CMG to the above companies, the technology used for monitoring and active listening is called “Voice Data” and CMG openly mentions
“Yes, our phones are listening to the US” in a section explaining how businesses can use this data to effectively target ads
“Most times of the day, there is a smart device within two inches of us.
That means a smart device is probably just a stone's throw away when we're talking about our weekend plans, how badly we need a kitchen renovation, or which SUV model is best for a family.
When small businesses know who needs them, they can target ads with improved accuracy, waste less money and grow their audience.”
“It might look difficult, but it's not – it's AI. The ability to access microphone data on devices such as smartphones and tablets allows our partners to collect and analyze voice data during conversations.
The result? Unprecedented understanding of consumer behavior so we can deliver personalized ads that make your target audience think: wow, they're reading my mind.”
Cox Media Group also suggests that it's perfectly legal, as smart devices and assistants should always be listening anyway. Google apparently ended its partnership with CMG sometime after this report aired, reports 404 Media.
You can find it pitch deck here.
