That's the way it goes. Introduce something into society that people always did without prior to its existence, but can't live without once it's introduced. Eventually things like this become "mandatory," where life becomes so inconvenient without it. 

Love my apple phone, but perhaps it's time to go droid, root the burger and take measures against this.

Wait until the facial recognition software comes out. You go to the store, it's welcomes you by name and will tell you what's on sale based on your clicks ala Amazon.

It's coming people.

Me and some friends were talking about Portuguese man o' war. I was curious and decided to look it up on my phone. As soon as I typed 'port', Portuguese man o' war came up as a suggestion. 

The article seems devoid of actual proof, only conjecture. The phone "may be listening". The professor even admits that the items she was discussing that seemed to cause certain items to pop up could have come from searches she did on the topic matter.

I doubt your phone is constantly listening. For starters, that is a huge amount of data to process considering how many people use facebook, secondly I think it would tax the phones battery and data to be always listening and transmitting data.

I wouldn't be surprised. 
The cable boxes listen

Don't have and won't have facebook.   Look at the founder.

The article seems devoid of actual proof, only conjecture. The phone "may be listening". The professor even admits that the items she was discussing that seemed to cause certain items to pop up could have come from searches she did on the topic matter.

I doubt your phone is constantly listening. For starters, that is a huge amount of data to process considering how many people use facebook, secondly I think it would tax the phones battery and data to be always listening and transmitting data.

Facebook itself confirmed doing so. Unless it is libel, that's all the facts needed.

The Facebook app is notorious for draining battery life.

Me and some friends were talking about Portuguese man o' war. I was curious and decided to look it up on my phone. As soon as I typed 'port', Portuguese man o' war came up as a suggestion. 

Confirmed here:

"Facebook does not use microphone audio to inform advertising or News Feed stories in any way," a Facebook spokesperson said in an email. "Businesses are able to serve relevant ads based on people's interests and other demographic information, but not through audio collection." [Note that it is not denying listening, just that it does not use that spying for advertising]

Facebook's statement contradicts University of South Florida professor Kelli Burns, who said that when she discussed certain topics around her phone she quickly saw relevant ads on Facebook, the Independent reported — though Burns also said she "may have been" searching online for things she mentioned around the phone.

http://www.aol.com/article/2016/05/31/yes-facebook-is-probably-listening-to-you-through-your-phone/21386906/

Personally I also have discovered this "feature" a while back but thought it was just coincidence. Now I know it is not.

More from that article:

Many are suspicious. Burns' theory is supported by other users who say ads that pop up in their Facebook feed are aligned with things they spoke about out loud. Like this person. And this person. And these people. And... you get it.

This user on Quora thinks the Facebook app is listening and using their spoken words to target advertisements:

"For example: I spoke to my wife about some kitchen appliances while using Facebook and the next day I saw an ad about it," the user wrote. "I didn't even search or type this thing anywhere. I spoke to my friend about sun shades and I got an advertisement next day about the sun shades."

I'll bet that in a few days/weeks, Facebook will say, oh it was a BUG and we have FIXED IT now.

Don't have and won't have facebook.   Look at the founder.

The problem, as we in the gun rights community here in Hawaii well know, is that almost no one cares. All the vast majority care about is "convenience", and whatever Zuckerberg does with his power and influence (derived from peoples collective support of his product) is not really of any interest nor concern to them (sheep/useful idiots). Thus a product like MeWe, specifically created to circumvent and avoid some of Zuckerberg's Facebook's worst intrusions, gains no traction or following. People nokeah. What's the strategy for overcoming near total apathy? I have no idea.

Facebook itself confirmed doing so. Unless it is libel, that's all the facts needed.

The Facebook app is notorious for draining battery life.

What facebook admitted to is not the same thing the professor was quoted as having said.

As far as the facebook app, I have never used it so I didn't know if trained battery. It is possible, I don't doubt that. It is just that it would take up a lot of the phones battery and processing power I think. The data usage could depend on how the information heard is used or transmitted.

I am now going to go an make sure my phone doesn't have a preinstalled facebook app!

After reading this I am going to start making sure I turn on the Facebook app on my phone and take the phone with me into the bathroom while I take a dump! 

After reading this I am going to start making sure I turn on the Facebook app on my phone and take the phone with me into the bathroom while I take a dump! 

You're gonna start getting notices/ads from Amazon for stuff like air fresheners and laxatives.   

At work, a bunch of the women talk story when they are in the bathroom.  You can hear them chatting away from the hallway!   

You're gonna start getting notices/ads from Amazon for stuff like air fresheners and laxatives.   

Why not? I already get SPAM for penis enlargement and breast enhancement pills!!!   

Why not? I already get SPAM for penis enlargement and breast enhancement pills!!!   

Uhhh. . . mkay. . . 



My Amazon suggestions are pretty interesting.  I shop for myself as well as gifts for others.  Suggestions from Vortex binos to baby stuff.   

Uhhh. . . mkay. . . 



My Amazon suggestions are pretty interesting.  I shop for myself as well as gifts for others.  Suggestions from Vortex binos to baby stuff.   

I can't say my Amazon suggestions are very interesting. My wife and I order from the same account so I get household goods suggestions that I could care less about. And we both order books so I get suggestions that apply to her tastes and mine. I get Hawaiian book suggestions along with gun books and Stephen King Books. But music and Audible suggestions are strictly for me. Music suggestions have been great. They suggest a lot of great music that they just started offering. And since I use their streaming service I don't have to pay any extra for it. But the Audible suggestions are a little weird as I have only purchased books from one author so far (My Cousin). And they don't suggest any of the other books that she has written. They obviously base their suggestions on subject matter rather than author. But my cousin only writes "Historical Fiction" books. So I really don't get any suggestions that fall under that category. Therefore they offer nothing I am interested in. Eventually I will start listening to Anne Rice books so I am sure they will start suggesting books about vampires and witches after that.   

Wait till they start monitoring your built in camera.

The problem, as we in the gun rights community here in Hawaii well know, is that almost no one cares. All the vast majority care about is "convenience", and whatever Zuckerberg does with his power and influence (derived from peoples collective support of his product) is not really of any interest nor concern to them (sheep/useful idiots). Thus a product like MeWe, specifically created to circumvent and avoid some of Zuckerberg's Facebook's worst intrusions, gains no traction or following. People nokeah. What's the strategy for overcoming near total apathy? I have no idea.

Correct pp.
Unfortunately mho is that the only way to end total apathy is getting lined up at the edge of the cliff.  Either jump off or push back.
If Barry had a 3rd term, they would make it mandatory to enroll in facebook  to get medicare or SS.

Me and some friends were talking about Portuguese man o' war. I was curious and decided to look it up on my phone. As soon as I typed 'port', Portuguese man o' war came up as a suggestion. 

I don't use Facebook. I was on Safari on my iPhone.

Wait till they start monitoring your built in camera.

Haha. A co-worker put a piece of tape over his phone cameras and built in laptop camera for this exact reason.