Snooping: It's not a crime, it's a feature
New apps hijack the microphone in your cell phone to listen in on your life
By Mike Elgan
Computerworld - Cellphone users say they want more privacy, and app makers are listening.
No, they're not listening to user requests. They're literally listening to the sounds in your office, kitchen, living room and bedroom.
A new class of smartphone app has emerged that uses the microphone built into your phone as a covert listening device -- a "bug," in common parlance.
But according to app makers, it's not a bug. It's a feature!
The apps use ambient sounds to figure out what you're paying attention to. It's the next best thing to reading your mind.
Your phone is listening
The issue was brought to the world's attention recently on a podcast called This Week in Tech. Host Leo Laporte and his panel shocked listeners by unmasking three popular apps that activate your phone's microphone to collect sound patterns from inside your home, meeting, office or wherever you are.
The apps are Color, Shopkick and IntoNow, all of which activate the microphones in users' iPhone or Android devices in order to gather contextual information that provides some benefit to the user.
it's ok, they only want to advertise to you....
New apps hijack the microphone in your cell phone to listen in on your life
By Mike Elgan
Computerworld - Cellphone users say they want more privacy, and app makers are listening.
No, they're not listening to user requests. They're literally listening to the sounds in your office, kitchen, living room and bedroom.
A new class of smartphone app has emerged that uses the microphone built into your phone as a covert listening device -- a "bug," in common parlance.
But according to app makers, it's not a bug. It's a feature!
The apps use ambient sounds to figure out what you're paying attention to. It's the next best thing to reading your mind.
Your phone is listening
The issue was brought to the world's attention recently on a podcast called This Week in Tech. Host Leo Laporte and his panel shocked listeners by unmasking three popular apps that activate your phone's microphone to collect sound patterns from inside your home, meeting, office or wherever you are.
The apps are Color, Shopkick and IntoNow, all of which activate the microphones in users' iPhone or Android devices in order to gather contextual information that provides some benefit to the user.
it's ok, they only want to advertise to you....
