Is Google listening in on us?

[Ironwood]

This morning over coffee my wife and I talked about dropping in to a store we haven't been to in months this afternoon. An hour later we got an email from the store informing us of current specials. Neither of us have ever googled yet alone bookmarked the site nor have we googled any other sites nearby. And we haven't google mapped the store location as it's in our old neighbourhood in a small community about 40 minutes from our current home. I have read that a bug in Google Chrome can allow hackers to listen in on conversations from devices with a microphone... but you would have to 'accept' microphone access. This is creepy. Any idea what's going on?

 

[presley]

From what I could find, you do have to allow the microphone for some site. After you disconnect, it continues to record everything you say. This article is a couple years old. If you search online, you may find more update information.
http://www.infowars.com/whistleblower-google-chrome-can-listen-to-your-conversations/

EDIT TO ADD: I just read some other reports about this. Google itself isn't doing the listening. Third parties are abusing the Chrominum code and they are the ones listening. Google claims no responsibility for what is happening.

 

[moonstone]

This morning over coffee my wife and I talked about dropping in to a store we haven't been to in months this afternoon. An hour later we got an email from the store informing us of current specials. Neither of us have ever googled yet alone bookmarked the site nor have we googled any other sites nearby. And we haven't google mapped the store location as it's in our old neighbourhood in a small community about 40 minutes from our current home. I have read that a bug in Google Chrome can allow hackers to listen in on conversations from devices with a microphone... but you would have to 'accept' microphone access. This is creepy. Any idea what's going on?

Oh that is creepy! I'd be turning the computer right off in between uses.
Maybe the email was just a coincidence though.


~Diane

 

[geekette]

Oh that is creepy! I'd be turning the computer right off in between uses.
Maybe the email was just a coincidence though.


~Diane

If you think that is creepy, be sure to cover the video "eye" when not in use. Just a piece of post-it will do it.

 

[Phydeaux]

Welcome to 1984.

Conversations can be picked up and recorded from the vibrations on glass windows. Truth.

Gives a whole new meaning to password and email address protection, doesn't it?

 

[clifffaith]

Smiling at my desk. Made me think of the very first time we got hooked up to the internet in 1998. I sat in front of the computer, not really sure what I was supposed to do next. So I figured Land's End clothing catalog ought to be online. Searched, and all I could find were real estate offices and B&Bs with the name Lands's End. So I gave up and started poking around trying to figure out how the internet was supposed to be of use to me. Within five minutes an ad for Land's End clothing popped up on my screen unbidden. Totally freaked me out!

 

[Tia]

If you think that is creepy, be sure to cover the video "eye" when not in use. Just a piece of post-it will do it.

My kids laughed at me when they saw I covered the eye, tiny piece of paper taped in place from day one.

 

[Ironwood]

If you think that is creepy, be sure to cover the video "eye" when not in use. Just a piece of post-it will do it.

Post-it's fall off. I keep black electrical tape over the 'eye' on my laptop, but I haven't put tape on our tablets, and maybe I should. Diane...the email ad came from one of the two boutique craft stores opposite Foodland in Craighurst...completely out of the blue. We hadn't been in the store since last fall and have never provided our email, but they have my wife's name from credit purchases, as she always buys some little thing there. I have experienced walking through a mall and getting an email from a sporting goods store I frequent, telling me about deals of the day. That's with my cell 'location' on. I usually keep it off unless I specifically want to be tracked.

 

[baz48]

Isn't there a light that comes on when your laptop's camera is on?

 

[presley]

Isn't there a light that comes on when your laptop's camera is on?

That has been my experience and when I've asked a security expert about that, I was told that people just don't notice the light.

 

[stifler]

Have always covered all of my devices' eyes (when I'm not using them) since several years ago.

 

[geekette]

Isn't there a light that comes on when your laptop's camera is on?

Sure but if I'm going to all the trouble to spy on you and have commandeered your hardware, how tough for me to turn the light off?

 

[Ironwood]

To lessen the likelihood of someone taking control of your computer or device, disable 'remote access'. It's under 'properties' on my windows based laptop and surface tablet.