Four step process that reveals if your phone is listening to you
Try it for yourself
Ever feel like your phone knows too much?
Some tech experts believe our devices are always listening - and that’s why they suggest keeping gadgets like Amazon Alexa out of private spaces like your bedroom.
If you’re curious to find out if your phone might be eavesdropping, here’s a simple four-step test shared by experts at NordVPN.
First, choose a topic that's completely unrelated to anything you’ve searched for before, talked about or shown interest in online. The more random, the better.
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To keep the test accurate, avoid discussing the topic out loud beforehand. Write it down instead, or, if you must talk about it, turn off your phone or move it to another room first.
Over the next few days, have multiple conversations about your chosen topic near your phone. Be specific and use related keywords that could potentially trigger search engines or ad algorithms.
Third, it's time to back off again and continue using your phone as you normally would. Avoid searching for your test topic online, interacting with related content, or giving any obvious digital signals about it.
Let the conversations do the work and see if your phone picks up on the keywords through its microphone.
Finally, after a few days of continuing your normal phone usage, observe any changes in your targeted ads.
Pay close attention to the advertisements that pop up in your social media feeds, streaming services, or any other platforms connected to your device.
If you start seeing ads related to the topic you only spoke about and never searched for, it could be a sign your phone is listening.
NordVPN researchers tested this method and found that ads started appearing just days after discussing a completely new topic, even when they hadn’t searched for it online.
“While we typically brush them off as innocent and necessary, they are a strong indicator that you are allowing your device too much access to your personal data and interests,” said Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN.
While it's unsettling to know our phones are always listening in, it's not actually legal.
In fact, most people have granted permission to devices and apps to do this without realising it. You know, those lengthy TOC we just scroll past?
If you feel this is a little too invasive and want to protect your privacy and keep your conversations to yourself, there's a little hack to turn off the eavesdropping. Cyber security experts advise deactivating Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant and any other virtual assistants or apps with microphone access enabled.