5 minutes agoAuthor: Sandeep Singh
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Just think, You are sitting with your friend and talking casually to buy AC, fridge or branded clothes. In a short time, advertisements of these things start appearing on your smartphone. You are surprised, neither did you search, nor saw any website, then suddenly how did these advertisements start coming?
Actually, the answer is hidden in your smartphone itself. The smartphone not only listens to your touch, but also your voice.
It seems normal until it is misused. But if your personal things also start being recorded, then it can become a big threat to your privacy. Therefore, it is important to identify those settings of the smartphone and stop them in time. This keeps your privacy and you can avoid unwanted advertisements.
So let’s News of the need I will talk about how dangerous it is to listen to the smartphone? Will also know that-
- Is this a violation of our privacy?
- How to turn off this settings?
Expert: Ishaan Sinha, Cyber Expert, New Delhi
Question- Does the smartphone really listen to our words?
answer- The smartphone does not listen to your words all the time. Yes, if you have given a microphone permission to an app. Or voice assistants like ‘Hey Siri’, ‘Ok Google’ are on in the phone. These features listen to voices in the background for a few seconds, but are only active when a command is triggered.
Question- Are advertisements shown only on the basis of the things heard through microphone?
answer- Most advertisements are based on your online behavior. Such as your search history, app use, location, browsing pattern and shopping habits. Websites and apps track every click and likes and show advertisement accordingly. For example, if you searched a mobile cover, now many sites can show advertisements related to it.
‘Show add to the matter’ i.e. microphone-based targeting is a very few uses, which is possible only when an app has received a microphone permission.
Question- Which of our data collects the smartphone? answer- Our smartphones and other digital devices (such as smartwatch, laptop, smart TV or gaming console) collect many types of data, so that the user experience can improve and advertisers look more relative. Understand it from the graphic below-
Question- Is all these data related to your identity?
answer- Trusted companies do not link this data to your direct identity (such as name or address). Instead, they turn it into unknown group data (anonymous data) to maintain your privacy and advertisement can be targeted.
Question- The app is listening to our conversation, how can we identify it?
answer- First of all, check the microphone permission of the app you are using. Most smartphones ask for permission for microphone access at the time of apps, at that time we ignore and give it permission. Therefore, the privacy policy of apps should be read as it is told how the app can use your data. Some apps also offer the option that you can close your voice recording.
Question- How can any app microphone access to any app?
answer- The microphone access of the app can close with the settings of your smartphone. The graphic below has a method for both Android and iPhone.
Question- Is this legal?
answer- It comes in the gray zone. If you have allowed microphone access then technically the app is within the rules. But if recording is happening without permission, it is a violation of the law.
Question- What are the necessary steps can be taken to protect privacy in the online world?
answer- It is necessary to adopt some easy habits to protect privacy online. First of all, before downloading any app, please read his privacy policy. Give the app the same permission that is really necessary, such as access to camera, location or microphone. Apart from this, give this permission only when it does not work without its app. Check your mobile and social media settings from time to time so that you can know which information is visible to others.
Question- What does Indian law say about this?
answer- The validity of smartphone data in India depends on whether the data is being done with your consent and in the legal purview. India has major laws and acts related to data secrecy.
Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act)
This is a new law, which is made to protect your online data. That is, the information you give on the Internet (such as name, mobile number, email, photo) No company can use it without your permission.
Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) If a company does not protect your personal information (such as bank details or health) or gives it to someone else without your approval, then legal action can be taken on it.
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