Companies want to know what potential customers are searching for online. Using this information, they can target each Internet user with ads for products or services that are relevant to what they are looking for.
But people don’t always search online for everything they want or need to buy. What if these companies could listen to their potential customers’ daily lives and target ads to them based on their needs? explain about?
According to a report, marketers at media giant Cox Media Group (CMG) pitched the idea to potential advertising partners. 404 media. The technology news outlet recently obtained CMG’s November 2023 promotional materials, which detail its “active listening” service and how it can target advertising based on smart devices such as smartphones, smart speakers, and smart TVs.
“What would it mean for your business if you could target prospects who were actively discussing their need for your services in everyday conversations?” reads the beginning. CMG sales pitch. “No, this is not a black mirror Interlude – It’s voice data, and CMG has the ability to leverage it to your business advantage.
The promotional material also mentions the legality of the company listening to users and collecting data.
“Creepy? Sure. Great for marketing? Sure,” reads CMG’s sales pitch.
Last year, 404 Media report About the promotion of CMG active listeningusing the microphone in the smart device to monitor the user’s voice to achieve targeted advertising. The media just received a financing package last week.
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Internet users have long speculated that big tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook owner Meta are eavesdropping on their information. Now, we have evidence that CMG’s marketing team is promoting such services to advertisers. As 404 Media points out, CMG has current or previous partnerships with all four of these big tech companies.
So, what’s going on?
Big Tech Companies Respond to CMG’s Active Listening
Mashable reached out to all four major tech companies named in 404 Media’s report on CMG’s active listening collateral. We heard back from all of them—Meta, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Each company issued a statement denying working with CMG to target advertising in this manner.
In a statement provided to Mashable, a Meta spokesperson said: “Meta does not use your phone’s microphone to serve ads, and we have been public about this for years. We are contacting CMG to get them to clarify that their program is not based on metadata.
Meta told Mashable it is investigating whether CMG may have violated Facebook’s terms and conditions. The company said it would take action if necessary. A spokesperson also provided Mashable with 2016 positions Facebook has released information about how the company will not use users’ phone microphones for advertising purposes.
Amazon, Google and Microsoft also opposed participating in CMG’s active listening.
“Amazon Advertising has never worked with CMG on this program and has no plans to do so,” an Amazon spokesperson told Mashable.
In a statement provided to Mashable, a Google spokesperson said: “All advertisers are required to comply with all applicable laws and regulations as well as our Google Ads policies, and when we discover an ad or advertiser that violates these policies, we will take appropriate action.
“We are investigating and will take any necessary action in accordance with our policies,” a Microsoft spokesperson said.
While the companies that responded denied participating in the advertising scheme, consumer privacy concerns about smart home devices will certainly continue.
