Slashdot Mirror
Facebook Says It's Not Secretly Recording You (fb.com)
An anonymous reader writes: In 2014 Facebook introduced a feature which can use your phone's microphone to identify songs you're listening to -- but "we don't record your conversations," they're reminding users. A mass communication professor at the University of South Florida tried discussing specific topics near her phone, then discovered Facebook appeared to be showing ads related to what she'd said. Though she wasn't convinced there was a link, the Independent newspaper reported that "The claim chimes with anecdotal reports online that the site appears to show ads for things that people have mentioned in passing."
An official statement Thursday reiterated that "Facebook does not use your phone's microphone to inform ads or to change what you see in News Feed." But another news site sees these concerns as a reminder of all the permissions users routinely grant to their apps. "Go into your phone's application settings and you'll see a whole list of what an app like Facebook has access to: your camera, your location, your contacts, and, yes, your microphone too. How about this for a warning? By downloading Facebook you give the app 'permission to record audio at any time without your confirmation.' Tom's Guide security editor Paul Wagenseil says Facebook can...listen to your conversations...but it would be illegal to do so."
Meanwhile, the FBI "can neither confirm nor deny" that it's ever tapped an Amazon Echo device.
An official statement Thursday reiterated that "Facebook does not use your phone's microphone to inform ads or to change what you see in News Feed." But another news site sees these concerns as a reminder of all the permissions users routinely grant to their apps. "Go into your phone's application settings and you'll see a whole list of what an app like Facebook has access to: your camera, your location, your contacts, and, yes, your microphone too. How about this for a warning? By downloading Facebook you give the app 'permission to record audio at any time without your confirmation.' Tom's Guide security editor Paul Wagenseil says Facebook can...listen to your conversations...but it would be illegal to do so."
Meanwhile, the FBI "can neither confirm nor deny" that it's ever tapped an Amazon Echo device.
Here's a list of reasons why I don't like the Internet of Things:
1) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I sleep.
2) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I pee.
3) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I make kaka.
4) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I pleasure myself.
5) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I wash my body in the shower.
6) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I relax in the tub.
7) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I brush my teeth.
8) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I make passionate love to my wife.
9) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I brush my hair.
10) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I read a book.
11) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I read Slashdot.
12) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I bake cake.
13) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I put in my contact lenses.
14) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I get ready to play golf.
15) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I do my laundry.
16) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I think about rugby.
17) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I tie my shoes.
18) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I celebrate the 4th of July.
19) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I water my flowers.
20) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I eat ham.
21) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I use my stapler to staple documents.
22) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I chew bubble gum.
23) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I check the oil in my car.
24) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I look for my TV remote.
25) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I blow my nose.
26) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I rearrange my stamp collection.
27) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I watch the Backstreet Boys.
28) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I do my calisthenics.
29) Internet of Things devices could listen to me while I search for a paper clip.
30) Internet of Things devices could send information about me to advertisers.
31) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I sleep.
32) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I pee.
33) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I make kaka.
34) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I pleasure myself.
35) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I wash my body in the shower.
36) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I relax in the tub.
37) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I brush my teeth.
38) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I make passionate love to my wife.
39) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I brush my hair.
40) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I read a book.
41) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about me while I read Slashdot.
42) Internet of Things devices could let advertisers use the data unsuspectingly collected about m