This is scary

[Stargazer]

I have heard and read about one's devices spying on you, never thought too much about it.  I have an android phone, prepaid ATT, that is the only device I have with internet access.  No wifi, just cell service.  Have never used it as a hot spot. All apps that can be deleted or disabled are.  Bluetooth, location services etc. No Siri or Alexa. No voice commands. No FB, twitter or social media.  My TV is not a smart TV, no internet access capability (purposely chosen for that).  I use a regular over-the-air antenna, don't get much.  My phone is usually close by,  in my pocket, in case I should fall off a ladder or the roof and can't get up. Now...

Several days ago, I had a conversation with a person in my home, face to face, about storage sheds he was considering.  The next day, ads started showing up for storage sheds.  No, I have never looked on line for that item.

I have been painting my laundry room the last week.  Have struggled with all the cutting in and have mentioned it to a visitor in my home.  Today, an ad for a cutting in painting tool. No internet search for that.

A few days ago, I made boiled eggs.  I frequently talk to my dog, as in "hey, how about boiling some eggs tonight."  Today, an ad for making perfect boiled eggs.  Same thing with fish for a meal recently, an ad for making fried fish.

So tonigjt, I purposely stated, with phone in hand, alone with my dog, "I need to look into a composting system for a garden."  I have never had a garden and do not want one, have no interest in gardening.  An hour later, an ad for the six best composting systems.

I am just a little old lady in a rural community with two friends to my name, not affilliated with any clubs, political party, church etc.  I keep a very low profile, no signs in my yard, no flag, nothing. This CRVL is the only place I post anything.  Pretty benign.

These ads are taken from in-person conversations.  So now, my phone will just stay in the bedroom under the pillow unless I am using it, like now, and I will be very careful in phone and text conversations.  Because if companies can target me for ads, others can target me for anything else.

Crazy?  Maybe so.  Never worried much about this but how many coincidences equal not coincidences?

Where is that roll of aluminum foil??

 

[VanFan]

Are you comfortable turning your phone's network (internet) connection off except when you want to use it to get online?

 

[mjbeam64]

That explains why I keep getting male enhancement ads.

 

[Qxxx]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Who said Bi[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]g Brother is watching you? In this case it's Big Business. $,$,ka-ching.[/font]

Of course, it's a similar thing whenever you bring up almost any webpage anymore. Your computer has been tracking all the sites you've visited, so when you go to another site, you immediately start seeing targeted ads. As soon as you click on the new page, someone hiding under a rock somewheres sends out a call, and everyone in the universe bids on posting their ads to the page you are visiting. It all takes about 5 milliseconds, and then the ads pop up.

Then on top of all this, we get to "pay" for all the bandwidth burned up with this useless twaddle.

Instead of tin foil, maybe .... I don't use the cameras or microphones on my Android tablets or laptop, so I cover them over with black electricians tape. And I only turn on my cellphone when I am using it, but then it's not a smart phone either, it's just a basic flip-phone. But your smart phone is likely to be an Android device (or Apple), so it's all cameras and microphones.

Later, maybe I'll post some stuff about Win10 that'll curl yer ears, if you don't already know about it.

 

[B and C]

I just get random ads. I think I remember a setting for turning off targeted ads. Don't know where it is. When I get a new phone, I go through every setting on the phone. I know there is one in win 10 too. When you first set it up, there is a page that pops up with cortana and such. I turn them all off except location.

 

[Stargazer]

Yes, I have turned off, disabled, or deleted everything that I don't use, since the day I got it. In fact, at the store, when it was activated, I had the store person go through every item and explain what it was and I said lots of, "delete that". As for internet searches and cookies, I understand that. But these ads were about things discussed in a conversation, with no searches on those topics.

And it is an android because when I read Apple'a full user agreement, I was shocked. The iPhone went away then and I have had and loved iPhones since the first one came out. I severed that relationship.

What a strange world we live in.

@mjbeam64, that is too funny.

 

[Malamute]

I wonder if theres a way to turm its listening off?

I know law enforcement can turn a phone on even if its turned off, and use it to listen in on suspects. Im not surprised if it could switch to listen even if you had it off, just by the phone maker or employees. I know theres been cases of phone carrier or the Alexa (google?) company employees getting in trouble for listening in on people and recording them for fun, and they or creeps hacking girls computers and watching them.

I tape over the cameras on all my devices other than cameras I actually want to use. You can also turn it off if you dont want to worry about it, Id still put it away where it cant do any damage or mischief knowing what you do about yours.

I turn all 3rd party cookies off, and dump all cookies and history daily or whenever I turn my computer off. Its none of their business what I do or where I go. Some places I dump cookies and history before and after going to some sites, such as bookface. You can use firefox also, they are supposed to be better about privacy. never ever give bookface or anyone else your email password so they can see if any of your email friends are on bookface. Great way to get viruses and your email hacked, according to computer fixers.

 

[WanderingRose]

I firmly believe our devices spy on us and in ways we would never consent to if asked.

I have Siri turned off on everything, also location but for when using certain apps.

Still, I’m sure it happens and I just try not to think about it.

A couple of years ago, my IPad thought my son was me, after a conversation in his Siri loaded auto and with his Siri loaded phone, after we had a conversation about me getting a refurbished laptop.

I didn’t have my phone or any device with me. It was wild, after which I went in and found everything that was automatically on for Siri and turned it off.

A grocery store chain I frequent at home routinely sends coupons to my home tailored “just for you”, based on items I frequently purchase using my debit card.

We have no privacy anymore, as long as we are wedded to our electronics.

 

[Matlock]

The TOS (terms of service) agreement you need to approve for any App you download allows access to everything on your device. If you don't agree then no access. This includes email and messaging accounts too.
If your device is set with Location/Sync/etc turned on then your vulnerable. If auto-update or a notification for an App is turned on, same thing.
Turn the device off and you save on the tinfoil.

Just my ol 2¢

 

[MrNoodly]

Does airplane mode disconnect from all that stuff?

 

[Stargazer]

Mr Noodly,

I enjoy your blog. Not "registered" but I check it daily.

I don't know. I do use airplane mode a lot and it does seem to shut off most things?

 

[B and C]

Airplane mode shuts of cellular, bluetooth and wifi signals. Depending on device, gps may or may not be turned off.
GPS is just a receiver, not a transmitter. Remember, planes don't want you transmitting any signals.

 

[Qxxx]

Of course, as soon as you log onto the internet, your browser continually tracks the sites you're visiting in the "History" list. So all there needs to be is a hidden utility that sends this list to the watchers every few seconds, and they know exactly how to target ads. You can delete the History list "later", but it's probably already too late.

 

[Malamute]

Of course, as soon as you log onto the internet, your browser continually tracks the sites you're visiting in the "History" list. So all there needs to be is a hidden utility that sends this list to the watchers every few seconds, and they know exactly how to target ads. You can delete the History list "later", but it's probably already too late.

 Thats one reason to turn off third party cookies. It reduces the amount of JUNK your computer collects when using the web.

 Bookface was finding things they thought I was interested in, I went into my settings there and disabled that, and it stopped. Now it shows me things in my feed that it thinks I may be interested in based on what I look at or like there, but not from anywhere else.

 I dont seem to get much in the way of ads when online.


 "The TOS (terms of service) agreement you need to approve for any App you download allows access to everything on your device. If you don't agree then no access. This includes email and messaging accounts too.
If your device is set with Location/Sync/etc turned on then your vulnerable. If auto-update or a notification for an App is turned on, same thing.
Turn the device off and you save on the tinfoil."


...and that is partly why I dont have a smart phone and have zero interest in one. In any event, theres little reason to download aps when simply using it as a phone, which is all I want a phone to do. Id not use it for email or messaging other than texts. Obviously it doesnt bother many people, but I just have no interest in being that wired to the net. I take a fire tablet when out and about, I can get a wifi signal many places if I need to look up info, check the weather, or surf when out, but its unregistered, and I dont ever use it for any use requiring a password like logging into forums and such, as I dont think they are very secure. I keep my computer on manual update only. Cant do that on a fire, but I dont really care for my uses of it. Ive never allowed any aps to load though. Location is always turned off on the phone,....

 

[B and C]

I always allow automatic updates. Updates are released to secure vulnerabilities as they are found or to patch bugs in the software.

 

[Malamute]

Yes, they have security updates, but I like to look at them, some are classified as optional, some are classified as important or however they term it. Sometimes the update process clogs up/bogs down your computer when you just want to do something quickly and it hinders that or wont let it shut down right away. Thats when i decided to make them manual.

 

[B and C]

On windows, I just give it the hours I am not using it so it updates overnight.

 

[VanFan]

 Now it shows me things in my feed that it thinks I may be interested in based on what I look at...

Not discounting the seriousness of all this, it can be fun to play with those algorithms.  When looking at bed frames, I convinced Pinterest that I am seriously into snow sleds instead.  Always best to set firm boundaries with robots and their wranglers, IMO!  I darn sure don't want my refrigerator and wifi-enabled thermostat comparing notes while I sleep.  I jest, but this is a very matter.

 

[Malamute]

On windows, I just give it the hours I am not using it so it updates overnight.

 Do you mean you leave your computer on and connected to the net overnight?

 

[VanFan]

Thinking about the upsides now:  My elderly (but incredibly fit and functional) mother"just loves" technology.  Her favorite sewing machine "keeps everything in the cloud."  Mine is a  1948.  Compared to her, I am a serious Luddite.  I teased her about wearing an IWatch--until the evening she fell while taking a walk.  The accelerometer registered the fall/impact, asked her whether 911 should be called, and sent a text alert to me, including a map of her approximate location.  She did break her wrist in multiple places, but needed no help to get home and take it from there.  I think the IWatch is a little less silly now.