ST. LOUIS — How much does your smartphone know about you? Sometimes it can be a little creepy, like someone or something is listening to your private conversations, or monitoring every keystroke.
Consumer Reports reveals how this technology works, and what you can do to stop it.
Do you ever feel like your smartphone is listening to you?
While it might seem like your phone is always listening, Consumer Reports said that's probably not what's happening.
"This is something that researchers have looked at a lot," said Consumer Reports Tech Editor Bree Fowler. "And despite all those weird feelings, they've yet to find any evidence that phones and the apps on them are actually recording or listening to your conversations."
So what is going on? Consumer Reports said your phone has much more efficient ways to figure out what you're talking about and what you're interested in without ever recording a conversation.
"Researchers have found that apps on phones will do things like take screenshots or use your GPS to track where you're going. Or even collect video of what you're doing on your phone. And all of this can be used to create targeted ads," Fowler said.
So, how do you explain having a conversation about something and then seeing an ad for it on your phone?
"Chances are you probably did a Google search for those shoes. Or maybe you mapped out directions to a shoe store," Fowler said.
The amount of our data companies have is staggering but Consumer Reports says one way to limit the access they have—avoid using the universal sign-on features offered by both Google and Facebook.
Also monitor the permissions you give each app on your phone. For example, if an app doesn't need to know your location, consider taking away its access to that data.
You can find more information about how to check your apps' permissions here.
