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Is Google or Amazon listening/spying via a laptop?
Posted on 8/10/17 at 1:16 pm
Posted on 8/10/17 at 1:16 pm
Was working in the yard and went to my shop, where I have a older laptop hooked up to play music, post on TD etc, and drilled a hole into a handle so I can hang a tool in the garage. I did not say or do anything other than drill the one hole. Later I went back to the shop and powered up the monitor the laptop is hooked to and ads for drill bits and metal tools is on the sidebar.
I know if I click on a travel site I get travel ads etc.. but I did not engage the computer I only drilled a hole yet ads where there for that behavior.
How is this possible??
I know if I click on a travel site I get travel ads etc.. but I did not engage the computer I only drilled a hole yet ads where there for that behavior.
How is this possible??
This post was edited on 8/10/17 at 1:17 pm
6
Posted on 8/10/17 at 1:48 pm to Crow Pie
bookmarked
Posted on 8/10/17 at 1:53 pm to Crow Pie
It's most likely not your laptop, but Google/Facebook/Amazon have a TON of data about us that most people don't realize.
Facebook and Google both get data from the credit card companies so they know what you buy. In fact Google is working on tracking purchases enough that they can say "After Crow Pie saw your ad for Drill Bits online he went into your store the next day and bought some because of the ad."
Many of the apps on your phone like Facebook have access to your texts and emails and photos, so they know if you told someone "Sorry I can't make it Saturday, I have a woodworking project to knock out this weekend.". Did you perhaps take a picture of some screws or other parts you might need with your phone so you'd know what to look for at the hardware store? Did you buy some wood or other material that needs drilling at the hardware store? Again, they would know about that. Maybe you watched a YouTube video earlier in the week on how to do this project.
On top of all of the ways they have to find out exactly what you are up to, you are not nearly as unique as you think. Businesses can upload their customer list and sell ads to similar people. You think you're the only "married male age 35-55 with 2.5 kids" that has been to HGTV.com in the past week that is doing a woodworking project this weekend?
The bottom line is Google/Facebook/Amazon still are working on taking all of the data they already have and turning it into ways to sell ads or products to you. They don't need and probably are not in a position to do much with turning spying on us 24/7 into useful advertising information. I'm sure they want to and are working on it, they just aren't there yet.
Facebook and Google both get data from the credit card companies so they know what you buy. In fact Google is working on tracking purchases enough that they can say "After Crow Pie saw your ad for Drill Bits online he went into your store the next day and bought some because of the ad."
Many of the apps on your phone like Facebook have access to your texts and emails and photos, so they know if you told someone "Sorry I can't make it Saturday, I have a woodworking project to knock out this weekend.". Did you perhaps take a picture of some screws or other parts you might need with your phone so you'd know what to look for at the hardware store? Did you buy some wood or other material that needs drilling at the hardware store? Again, they would know about that. Maybe you watched a YouTube video earlier in the week on how to do this project.
On top of all of the ways they have to find out exactly what you are up to, you are not nearly as unique as you think. Businesses can upload their customer list and sell ads to similar people. You think you're the only "married male age 35-55 with 2.5 kids" that has been to HGTV.com in the past week that is doing a woodworking project this weekend?
The bottom line is Google/Facebook/Amazon still are working on taking all of the data they already have and turning it into ways to sell ads or products to you. They don't need and probably are not in a position to do much with turning spying on us 24/7 into useful advertising information. I'm sure they want to and are working on it, they just aren't there yet.
This post was edited on 8/10/17 at 1:54 pm
Posted on 8/10/17 at 1:53 pm to Crow Pie
I'll be the last guy to put on a tin foil hat, but I've had similar situations that make me think something is listening.
The creepiest was Amazon suggesting that I buy coffee. It had been about 6 months since I bought coffee from them and I was standing in costco when I asked my wife if she had grabbed some coffee. A few minutes later my amazon app is asking me if I want to 'buy it again' and showing coffee. WTF?
The creepiest was Amazon suggesting that I buy coffee. It had been about 6 months since I bought coffee from them and I was standing in costco when I asked my wife if she had grabbed some coffee. A few minutes later my amazon app is asking me if I want to 'buy it again' and showing coffee. WTF?
Posted on 8/10/17 at 1:55 pm to notbilly
Alexa seems to randomly wake up at night and start talking in the other room 
I think she's communicating with our cat.
I think she's communicating with our cat.
This post was edited on 8/10/17 at 1:56 pm
Posted on 8/10/17 at 2:00 pm to Crow Pie
quote:Alexa knows what a drill that's about to go out sounds like.
have a older laptop hooked up to play music, post on TD etc, and drilled a hole into a handle so I can hang a tool in the garage
Alexa stacked
Crow fricked
Posted on 8/10/17 at 2:25 pm to Crow Pie
Yup, posted this in a thread a month or so ago.
I've had ads pop up when I visit specific sections of a store (appliance in Best Buy),and it's always made sense. Or something that I've searched or browsed. But that one creeped me the frick out that day.
quote:
we're already there. I was talking to a co-worker about the kind of bed cover he got for his truck so I can buy something similar for mine and I started getting truck bed ads. And I hadn't done any search about truck/truck bed etc. They're already listening, and watching.
I've had ads pop up when I visit specific sections of a store (appliance in Best Buy),and it's always made sense. Or something that I've searched or browsed. But that one creeped me the frick out that day.
Posted on 8/10/17 at 2:30 pm to TigerinATL
quote:
It's most likely not your laptop, but Google/Facebook/Amazon have a TON of data about us that most people don't realize.
This reminds me of this article from over 5 years ago where some dad got pissed about Target sending his teenage daughter baby related advertisements. It turns out the girl was pregnant and dad didn't know. Target could identify the pregnancy and even down to how far along the women are. This is scary when you consider they have MUCH, MUCH less information about us than our google overlords.
Posted on 8/10/17 at 2:35 pm to castorinho
quote:
But that one creeped me the frick out that day.
no lie its happened to me (and ive posted threads on it) where we are having a conversation about, lets say, dog food.
i pull out my phone and type 'd' and the first suggestion that pops up is 'dog food'.
Posted on 8/10/17 at 3:40 pm to notbilly
quote:
I've had similar situations that make me think something is listening.
Google is. It's not hidden. They listen and thru monitor your screen on chrome.
Posted on 8/10/17 at 3:58 pm to Breesus
Yeah the I'm used to the browsing/searches aspect of it. The listening part really threw me off guard.
Opened this thread on the Money board and of course I get that ad immediately
. But this one is the norm
Opened this thread on the Money board and of course I get that ad immediately
. But this one is the norm Posted on 8/10/17 at 4:23 pm to Crow Pie
I would never get an alexa thing simply because it would be listening 24/7
Posted on 8/12/17 at 4:22 pm to Breesus
quote:This is what I thought it was as well. I have not searched for anything "drill tool" related in months. It was completely out of the blue and the ad was for a set of drill bits. It had to be the sound of the drill.
Google is. It's not hidden. They listen and thru monitor your screen on chrome.
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