Ask HN: Is there any way an app can listen conversations secretly and show ads?

Re:Ask HN: Is there any way an app can listen conversations ... by vegcel on Tuesday September 25, 2018 @09:10PM (#18071879)

Yes, if they have access to your microphone, pull audio and convert it to text, search keywords and display ads. It's not really practical though, and there are other behaviors which are way better and easier to track for advertising purposes.

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Re:Ask HN: Is there any way an app can listen conversations ... by Nadya on Tuesday September 25, 2018 @09:28PM (#18071953)

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBnDWSvaQ1I

I tested this with my mother, telling her about this in person and talking about dog toys. My mother does not have a dog - but by the end of our 2 hour talk about how much she wanted to get her dog a dog toy she was getting advertisements for dog toys and dog food on Facebook.

She has an iPhone.

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Re:Ask HN: Is there any way an app can listen conversations ... by romanovcode on Wednesday September 26, 2018 @07:32AM (#18074807)

iPhone or Android does not matter. You need to disable microphone access to Instagram, Facebook and Facebook Messenger if you wish them to not listen to you.

Actually if you are on Android I'm pretty sure there is no way to disable google listening to you 24/7.

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Re:Ask HN: Is there any way an app can listen conversations ... by saiprashanth93 on Wednesday September 26, 2018 @10:27AM (#18076250)

What is your source for google listening to your microphone all the time on Android?

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Re:Ask HN: Is there any way an app can listen conversations ... by savethefuture on Wednesday September 26, 2018 @12:59PM (#18077945)

"Ok Google"

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Re:Ask HN: Is there any way an app can listen conversations ... by sahin-boydas on Tuesday September 25, 2018 @09:13PM (#18071889)

I saw an ad in the mobile web while i am checking a news article. it was a basic retargeting adsense i think

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Re:Ask HN: Is there any way an app can listen conversations ... by sahin-boydas on Tuesday September 25, 2018 @09:14PM (#18071896)

do u think they can send the text with advertising id of the iphone ?

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Re:Ask HN: Is there any way an app can listen conversations ... by savethefuture on Tuesday September 25, 2018 @09:25PM (#18071941)

Most likely. A lot of ads are third party code being executed on your device, look into malvertising.

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Re:Ask HN: Is there any way an app can listen conversations ... by sahin-boydas on Tuesday September 25, 2018 @09:11PM (#18071881)

interesting...

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