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Ever get the feeling you are being watched?

(60 Posts)
nanna8 Wed 19-May-21 05:43:37

I have noticed lately that whenever you look at a product on,say,eBay or just in general on google, lo and behold you will get a ton of adverts for similar products popping up just about everywhere. Even, sometimes ,on your phone.
Similarly if you make a political comment you get stuff on Facebook etc from the local members and once, alarmingly, I got several connected with the US elections urging me to vote for some person I had never even heard of. A bit of a concern, where is the privacy ?

Elegran Thu 20-May-21 18:38:32

Actually, Llamedos13 Facebook has had lots of ads for gardening and outdoor stuff recently. It is summer, after all.

Dibbydod Thu 20-May-21 19:37:28

On iPad , if you go into settings , look up Safari , click on the link , scroll down then you will see option for Clear History and Website Data , by clicking on that it clears all the cookies ect you’ve built up , but the only thing to remember is that it will also clear your ‘ member ‘ from here , but as long as you know your password you’ll be ok no, but at least it wipes the slate clean , until you build up some more cookies .....

bikergran Thu 20-May-21 19:52:27

Also means if we are talking on another phone , maybe giving out personal information, passwords, Doctors, banks etc then some other could possibly be listening in.

Yorki Thu 20-May-21 20:07:39

H1954... That would freak me out. I hate people staring at me.

Chapeau Thu 20-May-21 22:08:53

I watched this documentary on Netflix a few months back and, as a not-very-techy-person, I found the personification of algorithms very useful. It helped explain why I was getting so many "suggested for you" ads for vintage motorbikes! www.netflix.com/watch/81254224?trackId=13752289&tctx=0%2C0%2Cec0e3d7e985c58b4159c69406f9a6377632e1ffb%3Aeb74b1540282a312d2d1571c9e741f96527f481c%2Cec0e3d7e985c58b4159c69406f9a6377632e1ffb%3Aeb74b1540282a312d2d1571c9e741f96527f481c%2Cunknown%2C

Elvis58 Fri 21-May-21 09:07:01

My friend and l were discussing not googling about moving to a remote island to get away from the covid insanity.When later on in the day we both got adverts about a remote scottish island for sale.l am convinced we are clocked and listened to every day of our lives!

sparkynan Fri 21-May-21 11:13:48

Think 1984..... I believe with all the street cctv, along with Internet and Alexa monitoring. We are heading that way...

Elegran Fri 21-May-21 12:19:47

Elvis58 If you have Alexa you ^are listened to every monent of your lives. How else would the app hear when someone says "Alexa, play music" ? Any other device with sound recognition is the same. The owner believes that it responds only to their voice giving it a direct order, so they discuss things in front of it as thought it is deaf.

effalump Mon 24-May-21 15:32:53

Yes, we're all being watched and listened to. Spooky, isn't it? But then everyone is doing as they are told these days, and without question. I find that even spookier and tragic at the same time.