SIGforum
Do I need a tinfoil hat or is Amazon using my phone camera?
October 12, 2019, 04:31 PM
frayedendsDo I need a tinfoil hat or is Amazon using my phone camera?
I’m on the outer banks in NC this week for a wedding. I needed sugar for my coffee so I stopped in at Food Lion. I was looking for sugar packets but only found Sugar in the Raw packets. I picked up the box and looked at it, considered buying it and decided not to. I bought regular sugar in a bag. Not less than an hour later I had an email recommendation from Amazon for sugar in the raw. Wtf. I have never searched for sugar or any food on Amazon. I get recommendations all the time but I know based my my search history why I got them. This one has me perplexed.
I also mentioned the story to the GF. Maybe Amazon is listening to me. Shit. Where’s the tinfoil. (I’ll probably get an email for tinfoil now)
These go to eleven.
October 12, 2019, 05:04 PM
12131Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not monitoring you.
Q
October 12, 2019, 05:06 PM
MikeinNCQ’s right
"Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor.” Robert A. Heinlein
“You may beat me, but you will never win.” sigmonkey-2020
“A single round of buckshot to the torso almost always results in an immediate change of behavior.” Chris Baker October 12, 2019, 05:09 PM
H&K-GuyQ's right. Again.
H&K-Guy
October 12, 2019, 05:25 PM
arfmelAnd they’ll keep “monitoring” you ‘til you buy the dirty sugar.
October 12, 2019, 05:28 PM
XLThappened to me as well, just start a random conversation about something you need thats off the wall and see if you get sent an advertisement.
October 12, 2019, 05:28 PM
BBMWNot the phone camera. The GPS knows where you are to the inch.
October 12, 2019, 05:31 PM
hudrGF got a “web enabled” roomba.
She now gets furniture ads on amazon.
October 12, 2019, 05:33 PM
TigerDoreHow did you pay for the sugar?
October 12, 2019, 05:34 PM
LBAR15Not the camera, the microphone is listening to what you say. No tinfoil, it actually is listening.
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Life Member NRA
“If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve." - Lao Tzu
October 12, 2019, 05:35 PM
P220 Smudgequote:
Originally posted by XLT:
happened to me as well, just start a random conversation about something you need thats off the wall and see if you get sent an advertisement.
Same here. I started getting ads about things I have mentioned in spoken conversations with my wife.
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Endeavoring to master the subtle art of the grapefruit spoon.
October 12, 2019, 05:58 PM
JimmyRayBobFood lion probably sold your purchase info to someone. Some ad type agency.
Sugar in the raw bought info about people that shop for sugar ... any sugar. That’s their target audience. They bought an ad on Amazon, targeting you.
No people involved really, just Algorithms.
Or maybe not

October 12, 2019, 06:21 PM
rtguyHappens to me quite a bit. I can be watching something on my non-smart tv and I’ll start getting articles about that show on my google feed. I was also talking to a coworker one time about venison jerky and how I would have to find my marinade recipe for him. Not long after I was getting a lot of venison marinade recipes coming up on my google page. I also just read an article that said your television emits an inaudible signal that your phone can hear that tells it what you are watching.
October 12, 2019, 06:23 PM
Oz_ShadowWe looked at a pool float that you walk in on display at Sams. After leaving the store I had ads for those floats on my phone
October 12, 2019, 06:32 PM
sig229-SASI was riding with SIL talking about something she wanted to purchase in the future. Sure enough the next AM she had an email for the exact same item.
Not listening? Give me a break....!!
October 12, 2019, 07:33 PM
flashguyI don't think my Jitterbug flip phone is doing that.
flashguy
Texan by choice, not accident of birth October 12, 2019, 07:46 PM
V-TailI was asking somebody about uranium ore, and the next day I got an email from a Ukrainian whore.
הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים October 12, 2019, 09:15 PM
P226RNYep listening. So I use it to my advantage. When I want to get some bath and body works products on sale I just randomly talk about them to myself with my phone nearby. Usually about a day later they are on sale. The first time I thought, well, that’s just me being paranoid. After the 5th time I am a believer.
If it won't matter in 5 years don't give it more than 5 minutes.
October 12, 2019, 09:18 PM
OKCGeneI thought I'd try that out.
I said out loud Gee I wish I had a hawt woman coming over tonight to...… yanno.
I said if several times, very close to the phone.
I said I'd wait and see what happened, and I would turn on the porch light.
I waited, then looked at my internet to see if I had ads for Hawt women.
NO luck.
Just dang ads for porch lights.
My luck. Sigh.
October 12, 2019, 09:18 PM
RHINOWSONah, no way anyone with a camera and microphone would EVER abuse using it....
