For years, consumers have been concerned that their devices might be eavesdropping on them. A newly leaked pitch deck from a major media conglomerate suggests there might be some truth to those fears.
Cox Media Group, a large media conglomerate, has been pitching a new targeted advertising tool to tech companies. This tool, as revealed late last year, leverages audio recordings from smart home devices. Now, 404 Media has uncovered even more unsettling details through a leaked pitch deck that sheds light on this program.
The tool, ominously named “Active Listening,” claims to use smart devices to “capture real-time intent data by listening to our conversations.” The deck explains that this voice data is then paired with behavioral data to better target consumers who are in the market for certain products. The deck also mentions the use of artificial intelligence to track and analyze consumers’ online behavior, stating that this tool can gather “behavioral and voice data from over 470 sources.”
This raises significant legal concerns, especially since most states have wiretapping laws that prohibit recording individuals without their consent. If our smart devices are indeed recording our conversations and funneling that data into targeted advertising without our knowledge, this could potentially violate laws like California’s two-party consent requirement.
The pitch deck also indicates that Cox partners with major tech giants such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook. It boldly claims, “WE PARTNER WITH THE BEST TO PROVIDE THE BEST,” highlighting its affiliations with these companies. However, while Cox may have partnerships with these companies in other areas, it’s unclear if any of them are involved with this specific advertising tool.
Some of the companies mentioned in the deck appear to be distancing themselves from Cox’s “Active Listening” product. When questioned by 404 Media, Google stated that it had removed Cox Media Group from its advertising partners program. Google emphasized that all advertisers must adhere to applicable laws and its own policies, and that it takes action when violations are identified.
Amazon, in a brief statement to Gizmodo, asserted that it has never collaborated with Cox on this program and has no plans to do so.
Meta, when contacted by Gizmodo, declined to comment directly on the program. However, a Meta spokesperson clarified that the pitch deck lists Meta as a general marketing partner, not specifically in relation to this program. They also provided a link to a blog post detailing Facebook’s policies on using microphones for targeted advertising.
This revelation about Cox Media Group’s “Active Listening” tool underscores ongoing concerns about privacy in an increasingly connected world, especially as more companies explore the use of personal data for targeted marketing.
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