Facebook denies 'listening in' to user conversations

The new plan is for a voluntary levy on social media firms.
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Alexandra Richards30 October 2017

Facebook has been forced to deny that it uses the microphone on its devices to listen to users' conversations and then tailor ads to them.

In a tweet posted by PJ Vogt, the Reply All podcast presenter asked followers to call in to the show if they believed that “Facebook uses your mic to spy on you for Ad reasons”.

The tweet received a lot of responses with individuals making claims that Facebook was spying on them.

Rob Goldman, vice-president of ads at Facebook, responded to the accusation. He said:

"I run ads product at Facebook. We don't - and have never - used your microphone for ads. Just not true,"

He was asked to confirm whether or not the same could be said for Instagram which is owned by Facebook.

To which he replied: “Yes”.

Goldman explained that Facebook shows ads based on “people's interests and other profile information - not what you're talking out loud about,"

Facebook did not offer an explanation as to why the coincidence occurs, however one user on Twitter suggested it was an example of effective “targeting”.

Others blamed it on phone providers selling information.

Goldman has since posted an updated version of Facebook's "Advertising Transparency and Authenticity Efforts" on his Twitter page.

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