Microphone used for ads?

Overheal

Maybe we’re all a bit paranoid! But I have had instances like this before and it’s just too weird for words. Too coincidental. Like I get that ad companies are really smart but are they too nosy? Like when Target started giving a family maternity coupons... that turned out to be triggered by purchase habits from the daughter. Who was hiding her first trimester pregnancy.

But I’ve had instances where me and my OH will talk about things on the phone and then I start seeing ads for those things. Think it was jewelery at the time. Now this week, I was talking to an employer at a career fair and she briefly mentioned software called Revit. I never took out my phone or anything but wrote it down on a piece of paper for later. Now two days later, I have suddenly seen a video ad on the Facebook App, specifically, about Autodesk Revit. So now I need to do a sanity check: I’m not the only one here who has had a similar sketchy “nah couldn’t be more than a coincidence” thing happen to them? Am I?

Miike

I think you need to remember that the amount of ads shown and the amount of users on social media platforms there is bound to be a coincidence every now and then and as the number of users grow so does the rate at which coincidences will occur. I've had a long hard think about this stuff my self and done a bit of research on the same. I've had this happen when I was using a phone that had a broken microphone.

Another thing to consider is; where did your colleague here about this Revit software? Did they/someone they know see the ad, read about the software package and then it starts to become a conversation piece to the masses. This is how advertising works and has always worked, bringing something into the forefront of the mind and conversation.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I just don't think there's as much to it as we think.

King Mob

Overheal wrote: »

But I’ve had instances where me and my OH will talk about things on the phone and then I start seeing ads for those things. Think it was jewelery at the time. Now this week, I was talking to an employer at a career fair and she briefly mentioned software called Revit. I never took out my phone or anything but wrote it down on a piece of paper for later. Now two days later, I have suddenly seen a video ad on the Facebook App, specifically, about Autodesk Revit. So now I need to do a sanity check: I’m not the only one here who has had a similar sketchy “nah couldn’t be more than a coincidence” thing happen to them? Am I?

It's probably more a case of confirmation bias.
How many ads did you see in that period that weren't related to anything you said? How many things did you say around your computer that didn't wind up appearing as adds.
It's not weird to see ads for jewellery every day, but it's also possible that your partner used your computer to google jewellery. Or perhaps you googled it absentmindedly and forgot.
And it wouldn't be odd for you to see an ad for a new piece of software, if there's an ad for it, there's probably been a push to promote it, so perhaps the employer was involved with the promotion effort in some way, or maybe she even just saw the same ads you did.

People notice the same kinda effect when they learn a new word and see it everywhere after they do.
Nothing sinister here really...

Overheal

Miike wrote: »

Another thing to consider is; where did your colleague here about this Revit software? Did they/someone they know see the ad, read about the software package and then it starts to become a conversation piece to the masses. This is how advertising works and has always worked, bringing something into the forefront of the mind and conversation.

King Mob wrote:

...And it wouldn't be odd for you to see an ad for a new piece of software, if there's an ad for it, there's probably been a push to promote it, so perhaps the employer was involved with the promotion effort in some way, or maybe she even just saw the same ads you did.

It's an industrial software suite that the recruiter discussed specifically as something that we would interface with. Something her company already used actively.

You're more than right about the jewelery but no I hadn't done anything digitally with Revit - the farthest I got was writing it down on her business card.

Idk it was just a bit too weird and I've updated my microphone privacy settings :P

sheesh

Overheal wrote: »

Maybe we’re all a bit paranoid! But I have had instances like this before and it’s just too weird for words. Too coincidental. Like I get that ad companies are really smart but are they too nosy? Like when Target started giving a family maternity coupons... that turned out to be triggered by purchase habits from the daughter. Who was hiding her first trimester pregnancy.

But I’ve had instances where me and my OH will talk about things on the phone and then I start seeing ads for those things. Think it was jewelery at the time. Now this week, I was talking to an employer at a career fair and she briefly mentioned software called Revit. I never took out my phone or anything but wrote it down on a piece of paper for later. Now two days later, I have suddenly seen a video ad on the Facebook App, specifically, about Autodesk Revit. So now I need to do a sanity check: I’m not the only one here who has had a similar sketchy “nah couldn’t be more than a coincidence” thing happen to them? Am I?

your OH was probably searching for the jewellery on google. google probably is aware of the relationship. Your phone could have identifyed you as standing near a place where they were pushing the revit app using the bluetooth or wifi on your phone. it is not spying it is market research!

Now don't you feel safer?

Overheal

No!

I already know FB does some weird ****, like location based shenanigans.

Like how it suggested my "friend" to me when I only ever see that person a few times a year to buy italian seasoning. Awkward, because we had tried not to exchange names.

sheesh

also check this out
https://www.nanalyze.com/2017/04/geospatial-data-technology-safegraph/

they say they take your location data and anonymise it but it does show where you are usually are (at home) hey presto! they know where you live! they can tell how much you make from your address.