I’ve wondered for quite a while if there was ever any truth to the rumors that Meta apps “listen” to people. It doesn’t make logical sense, as the OS should expose they are doing it. Unless they had API access to allow microphone access without triggering the microphone icon. These companies have had API access in the past, like when Uber had full screen display capture access, and Meta definitely has some agreements with the fruit company to access some kinds of data. Or, when iOS first introduced the location tracking symbol in the status bar, I was able to write a program that allowed gathering of location access without actually triggering the icon.

Most of the time, the events can be explained away by knowing how adtech works, like, I was drinking a beverage, a friend asked what it was, the next day I started getting ads for it.

In that case:

• They were on my wifi network
• They picked up their phone when they were asking about it and did an Internet search
• So once the GeoIP was cross-referenced across ad providers, the IP started being targeted for those ads, makes sense

Some stories I’ve heard are more strange.

It does make me wonder if it was true the whole time, but they now have to ask for permission.

Don’t use the platforms myself or I’d try and set up a test experiment.