Take this simple test to find out if your phone is spying on you

4comments
An ear pops out of an iPhone display to show that your phone could be listening to what you say.
No matter how many times we've said that your phones are not listening to you in order to serve you targeted ads, we keep hearing from smartphone users who are convinced otherwise. These phone owners were just speaking about something out of the ordinary, say cowboy hats for example, and started receiving ads and stories all about cowboy hats on their phones. Researchers at NordVPN have come up with a simple four-part test that will let you prove to yourself whether someone or something is listening to your conversations via your phone.

The first step is to find a unique topic that you've never searched for before. This should be a subject matter that you typically do not discuss and is unrelated to your areas of interest. Then you should engage in separate conversations about this subject with your phone nearby. While you should continue to use your phone as you normally do, it is important not to conduct any searches for your chosen subject. Also, do not interact with any content that is related to the subject matter you selected for this test.

When discussing the subject matter you selected while in close proximity to your phone, NordVPN recommends saying specific keywords. As an example, if your test topic is a vacation to a certain location, talk about hotels or sights to see in the specific country. Then, over the next few days or weeks, pay attention to the ads that you are receiving on your phone and other devices. Look for ads related to the test topic you chose when looking at the apps you open, the websites you browse, and even on social media platforms.

NordVPN's Black Friday deal delivers quality and speed for cheap!

Sponsored message

NordVPN is running a Black Friday campaign with a 74% off on its 2-year plans. You get access to one of the largest VPN networks with more than 6,800 servers to pick from. They are also among the fastest, with speeds of 6,730+ Mbps, so you don't sacrifice connection quality while enjoying the safety of a VPN connection!

Check them out here



If you start seeing that chosen topic appear in your ads, it means that your phone has been listening to you talk after all and has been using that information to send you targeted ads. NordVPN conducted its own tests and the Virtual Private Network discovered that topics that its researchers talked about in front of their phones that they had never Googled before started showing up in ads just a few days later.

What do you think? Did you take the test? What were the results? Let us know by dropping your comments in the box below.
Create a free account and join our vibrant community
Register to enjoy the full PhoneArena experience. Here’s what you get with your PhoneArena account:
  • Access members-only articles
  • Join community discussions
  • Share your own device reviews
  • Build your personal phone library
Register For Free

Recommended Stories

Loading Comments...
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless