scarily… They don’t need to to be this creepy, but even I’m a tad baffled by this.

Yesterday me and a few friends were at a pub quiz, of course no phones allowed, so none were used.

It came down to a tie break question of my team and another. “What is the run time of the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the ring” according to IMDb.

We answered and went about our day. Today my friend from my team messaged me - top post on his “today feed” is an article published 23 hours ago…

Forgive the pointless red circle… I didnt take the screenshot.

My friend isn’t a privacy conscience person by any means, but he didnt open IMDb or google anything to do with the franchise and hasn’t for many months prior. I’m aware its most likely an incredible coincidence, but when stuff like this happens I can easily understand why many people are convinced everyone’s doom brick is listening to them…

  • moody@lemmings.world
    4·
    11 hours ago

    I mean the microphone is active, so it’s listening, but it’s not recording/saving/processing anything until it hears the trigger phrase.

    The truth is they really don’t need to. They track you in so many other ways that actually recording you would be pointless AND risky. While most people don’t quite grasp digital privacy and Google can get away with a lot because of it, they do understand actual eavesdropping and probably wouldn’t stand all their private moments being recorded.

    • tetris11@lemmy.ml
      1·
      9 hours ago

      so it’s listening, but it’s not recording/saving/processing anything until it hears the trigger phrase.

      I think this is the part I hold issue with. How can you catch the right fish, unless you’re routinely casting your fishing net?

      I agree that the processing/battery cost of this process is small, but I do think that they’re not just throwing away the other fish, but putting them into specific baskets.

      I hold no issue with the rest of your comment