Debate continues over whether smartphones listen to users
According to Uswitch research, young people use their phones for an average of 4 hours and 37 minutes a day, while claims that audio is recorded on social media for advertising purposes remain on the agenda.
Claims frequently discussed on social media that smartphones listen to users have been evaluated by experts and authorities. It has been reported that voice assistants engage in passive listening, but there is no evidence that conversations are recorded for advertising purposes.
Smartphone Usage Time Among Young People
A study conducted by price comparison site Uswitch revealed that young people aged 18-24 in the United Kingdom use their smartphones for an average of about 4 hours and 37 minutes a day. This intensive usage also highlights the impact of phones on user habits.
Listening Claims on Social Media
In posts on social media, users claim that their phones are listening to them because topics they talk about appear as advertisements shortly afterward. There are thousands of searches and high view counts related to the subject on the TikTok platform.
The Role of Algorithms and Coincidences
Frequent interaction with content on a specific topic causes algorithms to present similar content to users. Seeing a discussed topic as an advertisement can sometimes simply be a coincidence or linked to past searches.
Voice Assistants and Passive Listening
Voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant run a passive listening process to detect commands like Hey Siri. However, it is stated that this does not mean conversations are recorded for advertising purposes, and there is no data proving this.
Advanced Methods of Advertisers
Advertisers use advanced techniques such as location data, browsing history, and tracking pixels to build user profiles. This data provides sufficient infrastructure to predict products people might consider buying.
Authorities' Recommendations and Permissions
The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology states that applications can only access permitted parts of the phone. Users are advised to use strong passwords, opt for two-step verification, and regularly check app permissions.