You're not alone if you've felt paranoid after your phone displayed an advertisement for a random item you just discussed. If you've recently been discussing it with a friend, seeing an advertisement for the same product can leave you feeling uncomfortable.
And, while social media platforms have long denied spying on their users, recent studies indicate that businesses are employing a sneaky type of data monitoring system that takes advantage of the devices' microphone systems. According to NordVPN research, businesses are using ultrasonic cross-device tracking to listen to background noise and serve up personalized ads, while charging the company for the privilege.
As per NordVPN, the cross-device tracking method involves apps using ultrasonic "audio beacons" that cannot be heard by the human ear to "link all the devices you own to track your behavior and location." These high-pitched signals can be concealed in TV commercials or online videos.
When your device's microphone picks them up, advertisers can identify what you've been watching or talking about. Different apps on your phone can hear for these beacons to keep track of what you're doing, which is why some apps request access to your microphone.
According to NordVPN's research, nearly half of Brits (45%) claim to have seen an ad for something show up on their phones shortly after talking about it or watching it on TV, without ever searching for it online. Meanwhile, 62% of consumers said they had no idea how to avoid this, and 1 in 8 said the advertisements 'scared' them.
NordVPN’s Adrianus Warmenhoven said: "While it’s impossible to stop the ultrasonic beacons working, you can reduce the chance of your smartphone listening for them by simply restricting unnecessary permissions you have granted the apps on your device."
According to NordVPN, turning off microphone access for apps that don't require it may help. To change the permissions that apps have, go to the Settings menu on your phone and look for a 'Privacy' option. You should be able to see which apps have access to your microphone here and limit it as needed. You can also use a secure browser, such as Brave, Tor, or DuckDuckGo, or get a VPN, which encrypts all of your online activity.
