THE MORNING RANT: Cox Media Promoted to Advertisers That It Is Eavesdropping on Private Conversations Via Cell Phone Microphones

Even more disheartening is that the ethical behaviors and codes of conduct that both the right and the left once demanded of corporations have been tossed aside. In today’s business climate, so long as a corporation is conspicuously advocating for cultural Marxism, its managers and executives feel empowered to abandon any pretext of ethical behavior.

Cox Media Group (“CMG”) was recently exposed for promoting its ability to eavesdrop on private conversations via the microphones on cell phones and smart devices, and to use that information to sell targeted advertising.

Specifically, CMG boasted of its ability to engage in “Active Listening” on behalf of advertisers, so that "the whispers of consumers become a tool for you to target."

It made this claim in a since-deleted post at its CMG Global Solutions website. CMG’s claim that it could “actively listen” in this way disputes the tech industry’s repeated assertions that our phones and devices are not monitoring our personal conversations.

Cox Media Group is a subsidiary of the Cox Enterprises empire, which includes Cox Cable, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Cox Automotive (Auto Trader, Kelley Blue Book) and dozens of TV and radio stations.

In boasting to potential advertisers about its ability to eavesdrop on private conversations, Cox Media has engaged in one of two egregious ethical behaviors. It either:

1) Lied to advertisers about its ability to eavesdrop on targeted consumers.

or

2) Eavesdropped on consumers without consent.

Being a left-wing media operation, Cox did what you would expect it to do when caught in unethical behavior - it simply deleted the information it had previously published and went into denial mode.

Several non-Cox publications have documented this story.

“Are Marketers Using Smartphones to Listen to Your Conversations to Target Ads? Yes, Cox Media Group Says in Materials Deleted From Its Website” [Variety – 12/15/2023]

It’s been a long-held suspicion by many people: that smartphones and smart speakers are listening in on their private conversations for various reasons.

Now one company — Atlanta-based Cox Media Group — has revealed that yes, your devices are listening to you. Indeed, CMG touted its ability to identify “relevant conversations via smartphones, smart TVs and other devices” using AI to let local businesses target ads to those people.

“It’s True. Your Devices Are Listening to You,” said a page on the CMG Local Solutions site, which has since been pulled down. “With Active Listening, CMG can now use voice data to target your advertising to the EXACT people you are looking for.”

Although that original post has since been deleted by Cox, it has been archived and can be found here.

At the bottom of this post I will print the full text of Cox Media’s now-deleted admission of eavesdropping.

Cox has subsequently issued a formal denial of engaging in the actions it previously boasted about. However, Cox also seems to be insinuating that it does receive information from other parties that are gathering information from cell phone microphones.

In a statement released Friday, Cox Media Group said that its businesses “do not listen to any conversations or have access to anything beyond a third-party aggregated, anonymized and fully encrypted data set that can be used for ad placement.”

According to the company, CMG Local Solutions’ access to advertising data based on voice and other data is collected by third-party platforms and devices “under the terms and conditions provided by those apps and accepted by their users.”

Like most everyone, there have been numerous occasions in which I’ve received online ads for products I don’t use, but which came up in a conversation. If I start getting diaper ads after a co-worker mentions the task of diaper changing, I’ve been assured this is just the algorithms doing their thing, not because my device heard the word diaper. I’ve been skeptical, and Cox seems to be admitting now that eavesdropping is happening, and that the information gathered from eavesdropping is made into a product that is being sold.

Congress has previously looked into this, and Apple specifically denied that its iPhones are listening in on surrounding conversations.

“Apple says it doesn’t listen in on consumers, despite concerns” [Fox Business – 8/08/2018]

Apple told U.S. lawmakers Tuesday that despite privacy concerns, its iPhones do not listen to users without their consent.

Last month, House members Greg Walden, Marsha Blackburn, Gregg Harper and Robert Latta wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet CEO Larry Page citing their concerns about reports that smartphones are listening to users’ conversations without being triggered with a ‘Hey, Siri,” or ‘Okay, Google.’

Apple responded with a letter of their own debunking the reports, while adding it does not allow third-party apps to listen in either.

That seems quite clear and explicit.

Or is there some wiggle room for parsing the meaning of does not allow third-party apps to listen in either.

Apple also said that Siri does not record audio while waiting for commands or does not share any spoken words. The company said it explicitly requires its users to approve microphone access and that apps must display a clear signal that they are listening.

Cox Media has acknowledged that it is buying information from third parties who are eavesdropping on cell phone conversations. Whatever consent consumers may give phone apps for microphone access when the app is being used should not be a license to bug all conversations in a consumer’s house.

Congress needs to subpoena some tech and media executives to explain why Cox media is gaining access to information obtained from private conversations.

Here is the shocking full text of Cox Media’s promotion of its ability to listen to private conversation via cell phone microphones:

Imagine a world where you can read minds.

One where you know the second someone in your area is concerned about mold in their closet, where you have access to a list of leads who are unhappy with their current contractor, or know who is struggling to pick the perfect fine dining restaurant to propose to their discerning future fiancé.

This is a world where no pre-purchase murmurs go unanalyzed, and the whispers of consumers become a tool for you to target, retarget, and conquer your local market.

It's not a far-off fantasy-it's Active Listening technology, and it enables you to unlock unmatched advertising efficiency today so you can boast a bigger bottom line tomorrow.

Do we need a bigger vehicle? I feel like my lawyer is screwing me. It's time for us to get serious about buying a house—No matter what they're saying, now you can know and act.

A marketing technique fit for the future. Available today.

Machine learning algorithms are improving and introducing a new era for advertising. Our Active Listening tech gives you a weekly roster of qualified customers who have voiced their need for your service or product. We then upload the list to your preferred advertising platforms so you can target ads to the right people at the right time.

Tapping into the power of intent improves relevance and increases ROI

Reactive advertising is no longer enough to get ahead. Embracing predictive and proactive strategies is the key to growth.

Active Listening gives organizations clarity into the most effective channels and timing for their advertising efforts. By incorporating and analyzing customer data gleaned from conversations happening around smart devices, we can pinpoint where and when customers are most likely to engage with ads. When you have this information in reach, you have the power to deploy targeted campaigns at opportune moments on the platforms where your audience spends their time. The results? Maximized visibility and impact.

Whether you're a scrappy startup or a Fortune 500, Active Listening makes the unreachable in-reach.

How does it all work?

Advertise to the exact people who need your services.

CMG can customize your campaign to listen for any keywords/targets relevant to your business. Here is how we do it:

Create personas

We flesh out comprehensive buyer personas by uploading past client data into the platform.

Identify keywords

We identify top-performing keywords relative to the type of customer you are looking for.

Transparent tracking

We set up tracking via pixels placed on your site so we can track your ROI in real-time.

Leverage AI

AI lets us know when and what to tune into. Our technology detects relevant conversations via smartphones, smart TVs, and other devices.

Analyze consumer behaviors

As qualified consumers are detected, a 360 analysis via AI on past behaviors of each potential customer occurs.

Create a list

With the audience information gathered, an encrypted evergreen audience list is created.

Target, retarget, transcend

We use the list to target your advertising via many different platforms and tactics, including:
Streaming TV/OTT
Streaming Audio
Display Ads
Paid Social Media
YouTube
Google/Bing Search (PPC)

Don't leave money on the table-claim your territory now!

Our technology provides a process that makes it possible to know exactly when someone is in the market for your services in real time, giving you a significant advantage over your competitors. Territories are available in 10 or 20-mile radiuses, but customizations can be made for regional, state, and national coverage.

Active Listening FAQs:

Is Active Listening Legal?

We know what you're thinking. Is this even legal? The short answer is: yes. It is legal for phones and devices to listen to you. When a new app download or update prompts consumers with a multi-page terms of use agreement somewhere in the fine print, Active Listening is often included.

How Does Active Listening Technology work?

Our technology is on the cutting edge of voice data processing. We can identify buyers based on casual conversations in real time. It may seem like black magic, but it's not-it's AI. The growing ability to access microphone data on devices like smartphones and tablets enables our technology partner to aggregate and analyze voice data during pre-purchase conversations.

The result? Advertising efficiency and timing taken to a new level. We set specific keywords relevant to your product and service so we know who needs you, why they do, and where we can target them. With this unprecedented understanding of consumer behavior, we can deliver personalized ads that make your target audience think: wow, they must be a mind reader.

[buck.throckmorton at protonmail dot com]

posted by Buck Throckmorton at 11:00 AM

| Access Comments