Those times when you KNOW they were listening.....

[made in china]

I've always maintained that my Android/Google smartphone is listening to our conversations.

So many times I have discussed something obscure, off-the-cuff random thing with someone to have it be an immediate auto-complete on a Google search.

Today, something even more obvious just happened.

We were watching "Family Feud" on regular TV (not streaming) and the question was "name a man who is both bald and beautiful". One of the answers that no one got was "Telly Savalas". My 13 y/o son asked me "who the heck is that" and of course I said "he's way before your time".

Just opened the Youtube site, and right there on my main recommends is a "Telly Savalas Biography". I have never, ever, searched YT for anything remotely related to the guy, heck I forgot he existed. Of course, I am aware that Google owns YT, so whilst it's surprising, it's also obvious.

What about all of y'all? Any similar experiences to share?

Read More

 

[ma96782]

Aloha, Mark

 

[The Heretic]

Maybe. But who provides your TV service?

It could be that you did something on your TV that clued them in too.

I have Amazon Prime video, so yeah, there is probably some crossover for me.

I don't notice any indication of anybody listening while my phone is present - but I do see ads on FB that I searched for elsewhere.

 

[Ruger Rich]

I believe it and I'm not into supernatural. If I wear a wrist watch and a satellite can tell time from it, why would I doubt this.

 

[The Heretic]

Always assume that the gov is listening anywhere there are electronic devices with that capability.

 

[made in china]

Aloha, Mark

I've been meaning to watch those for a while now.

 

[made in china]

Maybe. But who provides your TV service?

It could be that you did something on your TV that clued them in too.

I have Amazon Prime video, so yeah, there is probably some crossover for me.

I don't notice any indication of anybody listening while my phone is present - but I do see ads on FB that I searched for elsewhere.

I just have bone-simple basic cable OTA service, local channels. No set-top box. My streaming TVs were off, this TV we were watching is a 20 y/o Sharp, unable to snitch!

 

[Flopsweat]

Do you have a corner of your room where the TV can't see you? I read about this trick in a book a long time ago.

 

[TTSX]

I'm sure it likes hearing me cuss out trucks. The amount of times I use... Ahem.... Adult themed language, I'd expect to get more cathouse ads, maybe a vasectomy solicitation. I hardly think it's uncanny what my phone comes up with. Usually something I googled within the hour more than things I've seen/said. That said, before I denied location services to certain apps, I'd get a request to review any store I got too close to for too long and that got darn annoying

 

[Provincial]

I keep location services turned off. When I went on vacation last January, I had to turn it on to use Uber. I turned it off when we started for home. I just checked on my Google location history, and it did not show my location during that time, but then I have selected delete my data automatically after 90 days.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Telly Savalas actually ate the Tootsie Pop owl.