Sick and tired of the "listening"

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

what gets me is this one. I get all sort of unknown phone calls on cell and house phone. I always try to search and see who it comes from. Well as far as I can tell unless you are willing to pay some service you will end up about like me 99% - unsuccessful of finding who it is. Ok.
Fine. Then I wonder how all of these people have my name and cell + house phone number and are constantly trying to get with me to sell the house in Nashville that my son owns? They assume it is mine when I live over 600 miles away from him. I just keep blocking and blocking these real estate phone numbers almost daily.

 

[brianl703]

I don't answer the calls unless I recognize the number or it looks legit. One way they attempt to look legit (which often backfires) is by calling from a spoofed number, say 703-505-5643, because your number is also a 703-505 number, they think you'll answer it.

I know almost nobody that has a number with the same area code and prefix as either of my two phone numbers.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I don't answer the calls unless I recognize the number or it looks legit.

I don't even go as far as "it looks legit". If it's not in my contacts I don't answer it. If it is "legit", the caller will leave a message, and if they don't then I guess it's really not important.

 

[Pablo]

The ones that don't require you enter your phone number for rewards? Not that I've seen any like that.

I use an old phone number I have parked at Numberbarn, which can receive SMS messages.

I think aps like Yelp and such are the weak link.

I've never given my phone..............wait yeah a couple times they text when table is ready, but those I have not got an email from.

 

[Pablo]

I don't even go as far as "it looks legit". If it's not in my contacts I don't answer it. If it is "legit", the caller will leave a message, and if they don't then I guess it's really not important.

I am AM is this department. I don't answer the phone, I don't talk on the phone. It's uncomfortable. You have my address, show up for some face to face time.

 

[bubbanik]

I don't even go as far as "it looks legit". If it's not in my contacts I don't answer it. If it is "legit", the caller will leave a message, and if they don't then I guess it's really not important.

I actually have fun with those calls. Most are computers on the other end so not much you can do with those but hang up. But when I do get an actual human on the other end I have a whistle on my keychain, they get a good long blast before I hang up. Doesn't do much but make me laugh, but if it gives them just a second of pause while dialing the next number then it was worth it.

 

[CanAmAndMore]

I actually have fun with those calls. Most are computers on the other end so not much you can do with those but hang up. But when I do get an actual human on the other end I have a whistle on my keychain, they get a good long blast before I hang up. Doesn't do much but make me laugh, but if it gives them just a second of pause while dialing the next number then it was worth it.

I just keep on asking them questions, before long they hang up.
Had one past week, she lasted way longer than most.
My call timer showed 94 seconds before she hung up on me.

 

[billt460]

When I know it's a garbage call, (I can tell 99% of the time), I'll answer it, and set the receiver down on my dogs bed. He will immediately come over and bat it around, and growl at it for a minute or 2. Works every time. He loves it.

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

I think a lot of you who think you know so much about IT/etc, are really, really, really naïve when it comes to realizing and knowing how much the camera and microphone on your cell phone are used without you doing anything....

 

[brianl703]

I think a lot of you who think you know so much about IT/etc, are really, really, really naïve when it comes to realizing and knowing how much the camera and microphone on your cell phone are used without you doing anything....

I know lots of people who know how to use network analysis tools like Wireshark.

 

[bubbanik]

I think a lot of you who think you know so much about IT/etc, are really, really, really naïve when it comes to realizing and knowing how much the camera and microphone on your cell phone are used without you doing anything....

I honestly don't care. My everyday life is incredibly boring, which is just the way I like it. If listening to me go about my daily activities gives someone somewhere some kind of joy, I pity them.

 

[KrisZ]

I honestly don't care. My everyday life is incredibly boring, which is just the way I like it. If listening to me go about my daily activities gives someone somewhere some kind of joy, I pity them.

It’s this kind of blissful ignorance that leads to erosion of our rights. The often repeated “I have nothing to hide” as a justification of tyrannical actions.

Of course, only those that never lived under a tyrannical dictatorship say such ignorant things. The law even states that anything you say can be used against you. Just because it’s not used now, doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future. And the stuff they record will be kept forever. That’s why more and more data centers are constantly being built.

So guess what? The “boring” stuff you do/say today, may be quite controversial 5-10 years from now. A simple program can dig out phrases you uttered in a nanosecond.

 

[4WD]

When I know it's a garbage call, (I can tell 99% of the time), I'll answer it, and set the receiver down on my dogs bed. He will immediately come over and bat it around, and growl at it for a minute or 2. Works every time. He loves it.

BiL will answer - ask them to wait a minute - sits phone down and resumes sipping his cold beer … They get it after the 2nd try

 

[Dave_T]

There will always be eyes/ears with technology and the more advancement people want the more freedom they give up no doubt. I will say using a quality VPN service does cut way back on this sort of eavesdropping as well as some privacy/settings changes.

 

[billt460]

This is scary.

Ring security cameras gave every employee 'full access' to all customer video for years: FTC

At least one employee viewed "thousands" of video recordings "belonging to at least 81 unique female users."

abc7ny.com

 

[Heywood_6078]

Whatever you keyboard commandos want to call it.

I've known, without a shadow of doubt, that big tech has been listening to conversations through our phones/etc for almost 10 years. My wife and I noticed it years and years ago. It was only a thing or two here and there once every 2 weeks or so.

A few years ago, it seems like most of the low-IQ population started inquiring about it, big tech said "ya ya, ya, ya, Terms of Service, you agreed to it, ha"

Ok, I get it. Whatever. It's a known quantity now. I don't care what you turn on or off, whatever, it still happens.

I'm just sick of it.

I've noticed it has bled over into my YouTube suggestions hard the last 3-4 months. My boss has been talking incessantly about fixing a darn toilet at his house. All these gadgets at HD for this and that, blah, blah, blah. Now I'm getting toilet repair videos on YT. A few weeks ago, my wife had mention TWICE that she wanted to make her some macaroni salad. BAM! For a week, I'm seeing suggested videos on YT for, you guessed it, macaroni salad.

This goes on and on. A few years ago I walked by the frozen pizza cases at Publix one evening. I didn't even open the freezer doors. None. Never touched a frozen pizza. I don't usually buy them and don't usually venture down the frozen food aisles at all. We don't eat frozen food. I was carrying my phone on a belt holster and the camera was on the outside.

Bam! Get home, an hour later, scrolling social media and up pops some ads for frozen pizzas. Never seen them before.

I'm sure some great, highly educated, powerful 32 year old minds that have sat around a conference table "collabin'" at giant companies near and far across the US think this is some out of this world marketing genius-ness going on. Not really. It is more off-putting to me and makes me take notice and NOT purchase what's being pushed through this surveillance.

Maybe this become the next 'boycott' ....

We have Alexa and phones and a smart tv and fortunately, this stuff has never happened
to my Wife or Myself.
Guess we are just lucky for some reason.

 

[alarmguy]

I don't notice this.

But I have no Alexa at my house, and I keep very few apps on my phone.

Agree, also much of the population does not go through their privacy settings such as “location services” “camera permissions” “microphone permissions” for each of their apps. I turn it all off except things that make sense.
I’ve been out of the android world for a while now, so it might be the same, but Apple makes this very easy for those that take the effort.
It also prevents cross tracking among applications and will hide my IP address for me. And if there is an application that I may want to give permissions to, but not sure you have the option to check ask first.

I suspect the OP has a very intrusive app or virus running on his phone

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

Agree, also much of the population does not go through their privacy settings such as “location services” “camera permissions” “microphone permissions” for each of their apps. I turn it all off except things that make sense.
I’ve been out of the android world for a while now, so it might be the same, but Apple makes this very easy for those that take the effort.
It also prevents cross tracking among applications and will hide my IP address for me. And if there is an application that I may want to give permissions to, but not sure you have the option to check ask first.

I suspect the OP has a very intrusive app or virus running on his phone

Wrong. LOL

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Whatever you keyboard commandos want to call it.

I've known, without a shadow of doubt, that big tech has been listening to conversations through our phones/etc for almost 10 years. My wife and I noticed it years and years ago. It was only a thing or two here and there once every 2 weeks or so.

A few years ago, it seems like most of the low-IQ population started inquiring about it, big tech said "ya ya, ya, ya, Terms of Service, you agreed to it, ha"

Ok, I get it. Whatever. It's a known quantity now. I don't care what you turn on or off, whatever, it still happens.

I'm just sick of it.

I've noticed it has bled over into my YouTube suggestions hard the last 3-4 months. My boss has been talking incessantly about fixing a darn toilet at his house. All these gadgets at HD for this and that, blah, blah, blah. Now I'm getting toilet repair videos on YT. A few weeks ago, my wife had mention TWICE that she wanted to make her some macaroni salad. BAM! For a week, I'm seeing suggested videos on YT for, you guessed it, macaroni salad.

This goes on and on. A few years ago I walked by the frozen pizza cases at Publix one evening. I didn't even open the freezer doors. None. Never touched a frozen pizza. I don't usually buy them and don't usually venture down the frozen food aisles at all. We don't eat frozen food. I was carrying my phone on a belt holster and the camera was on the outside.

Bam! Get home, an hour later, scrolling social media and up pops some ads for frozen pizzas. Never seen them before.

I'm sure some great, highly educated, powerful 32 year old minds that have sat around a conference table "collabin'" at giant companies near and far across the US think this is some out of this world marketing genius-ness going on. Not really. It is more off-putting to me and makes me take notice and NOT purchase what's being pushed through this surveillance.

Maybe this become the next 'boycott' ....

I use cell phones and social media as little as possible. I still own a flip phone cause when I close it I feel it IS OFF. Do not like those smart phones I see everyone walking around staring into. I believe you are 100% correct. It is like no one can even walk or function anymore with talking on cell phones!

 

[GON]

Interesting, Google turns the wi-fi back on my Google made pixel android phone after I shut the wifi off. Google states they are "helping me out".

Absolutely amazing what we except from tech companies today.....