Your Phone Is Listening—Literally Listening—to Your TV

[We Never Know]

That might explain a little how some ads seem to magically pop up on our phones.

"The TV is on in the background, and you’re replying to a quick email on your phone nearby. You don’t know it, but the devices are communicating. During a commercial, the TV emits an inaudible tone and your phone, which was listening for it, picks it up. Somewhere far away, a server makes a note: Both devices probably belong to you.

This information about which devices belong to whom is immensely valuable to advertisers hoping to target ads specifically to you. In a simpler time, targeted marketing was easy. Most people had a computer at work and maybe another at home. If you sent an email about your new cat, ads for cat food started cropping up. If you searched for Thanksgiving recipes, Safeway coupons for turkeys appeared in your Facebook newsfeed.

Those were good days for advertisers tracking Internet users. It wasn’t so hard to find what people were up to online, because most routinely used just one or two connected devices.

But now, between laptops, phones, tablets, wearables, and Internet-enabled cars and TVs, advertisers have access to more information than ever before for ad targeting. They just need to figure out which devices live under the same roof."

Your Phone Is Listening—Literally Listening—to Your TV

 

[The Hammer]

Been saying that for a while now.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

That might explain a little how some ads seem to magically pop up on our phones.

"The TV is on in the background, and you’re replying to a quick email on your phone nearby. You don’t know it, but the devices are communicating. During a commercial, the TV emits an inaudible tone and your phone, which was listening for it, picks it up. Somewhere far away, a server makes a note: Both devices probably belong to you.

This information about which devices belong to whom is immensely valuable to advertisers hoping to target ads specifically to you. In a simpler time, targeted marketing was easy. Most people had a computer at work and maybe another at home. If you sent an email about your new cat, ads for cat food started cropping up. If you searched for Thanksgiving recipes, Safeway coupons for turkeys appeared in your Facebook newsfeed.

Those were good days for advertisers tracking Internet users. It wasn’t so hard to find what people were up to online, because most routinely used just one or two connected devices.

But now, between laptops, phones, tablets, wearables, and Internet-enabled cars and TVs, advertisers have access to more information than ever before for ad targeting. They just need to figure out which devices live under the same roof."

Your Phone Is Listening—Literally Listening—to Your TV

And yet all of the ads I see are still lame. Come on, Siri!

 

[sun rise]

Since the TV is playing Rocky&Bullwinkle cartoons, cat&dog funny videos, Repair Shop and some PBS programs, I think my phone is likely mentally ill at this point.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Damm.... all my porn. That moaning and yelling.

Explains all those ads for pain relief!

 

[Viker]

This explains all those occult ads. Probably been listening to all my rituals and incantations. Sneaky little spy!

 

[Shadow Wolf]

No one wonder mine is acting up, is slow, sluggish, and hardly does anything right. All that Beavis and Butthead has been a very bad influence on it.

 

[mangalavara]

You don’t know it, but the devices are communicating. During a commercial, the TV emits an inaudible tone and your phone, which was listening for it, picks it up. Somewhere far away, a server makes a note: Both devices probably belong to you.

Sounds rather creepy.

Been saying that for a while now.

You are a wise man.