A publicity firm, which remains unnamed, is under scrutiny for potentially exploiting ‘Active Listening’ technology to monitor phone conversations and target personalised ads via Facebook and Google. The allegations arose when consumers noticed unusual ad patterns linked to their private phone talks. This technology was primarily designed to help voice-controlled platforms interpret commands accurately, but allegations suggest the firm has misused them to track consumer preferences and deliver hyper-personalised ads on social media. Hence, sparking a fierce debate about user privacy rights and ethical use of technology.
Following the official confirmation of the case on September 2, 2024, legal repercussions are anticipated as the firm could have breached data protection and privacy laws. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the scale of these supposedly unethical activities and validate the claims by aggrieved users. These circumstances bolster the call for tighter regulations and improved cybersecurity measures from numerous advocates.
The accused firm denies any misuse of the ‘Active Listening’ technology for targeted ads, stating its use is mainly for enhancing user experience and product development. They insist that voice data collected is anonymised and handled under strict privacy protocols, ensuring individual users can’t be identified from the gathered information.
Alleged misuse of ‘Active Listening’ for targeted ads
They declare to have partnered with Google, Facebook, and Amazon to display relevant ads to consumers, but all software usage details are outlined in the terms and conditions when a new app is installed or updated.
Conversely, user reports suggest that private discussions from their calls or online search history correlate with the ads displayed on their social media platforms, adding to the suspicion of ‘Active Listening’ tech’s misuse. Tech experts now promote the use of data protection software or encrypted communication apps as a precaution. Meanwhile, public demands for transparency and respect for privacy grow more potent.
The controversy intensified with revelations that the firm accesses over 470 sources like Microsoft’s LinkedIn since December 2023. Cox Media Group (CMG), a firm customer, uses real-time intent data from AI with ‘Active Listening’ features. Data privacy advocates brand this use of tech as a gross breach of individual privacy with concerns growing over real-time data exploitation.
While the firm and CMG insist they abide by legal requirements, outcry over potential misuse continues. Amazon denies any involvement with alleged privacy invasion and doesn’t plan to use the firm’s services. Google hints at ending their collaboration with the firm, and Meta, in its former Facebook guise, is reviewing the publicity firm’s terms of service.
